Man who ran eatery pleads guilty to fraud

MUSKEGON (AP) — A man who ran a popular restaurant in western Michigan while telling the government he couldn’t work because of a bad back has pleaded guilty to disability fraud.

Pablo Fierro, 66, was in federal court Monday.

Social Security investigators became suspicious after Fierro was featured in a Muskegon Chronicle story in 2008 about his restaurant, Pablo’s Tacos. He was quoted as saying he worked long hours nearly seven days a week.

At that time, he had been receiving disability benefits for 12 years.

Fierro fled to Mexico in 2012 but returned to Michigan and was arrested.