A New Bedford man is on the hook after being slammed with charges for allegedly bilking nearly 100 grand from Uncle Sam, the feds announced Thursday. 62-year-old Anthony Patterson finds himself in deep water as he faces a charge of theft of government money – accused of playing the system to wrongfully pocket Social Security disability benefits to the tune of about $92,582.

The purloined funds were allegedly snatched over a decade-long spree, from May 2013 to May 2023, according to the federal court documents. Patterson, who will shuffle into federal court in Boston at a date yet to be set, could be hit with a hefty penalty if convicted. The charge carries, a sentence of up to 10 years in the slammer, three years of supervised release and a fine of a whopping $250,000 – or twice the ill-gotten gains or loss, whichever punches harder.

Chipping away at the case is Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Bradley Parker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division, rolled out the announcement.

Although Patterson’s been thrown into the legal ring, it's key to remember these charges are mere allegations. The New Bedford man remains presumed innocent until, and if, a court knocks down that presumption with a guilty verdict beyond a reasonable doubt. As the wheels of justice slowly grind forward, Patterson can only wait to see if his alleged stint of living on easy street was worth the gamble.

For those keeping an eye on their taxpayer dollars or following the latest bout of fraud accusations, the case details can be followed through the U.S. Attorney’s Office. It just goes to show that when you play games with government cash – it's only a matter of time before the house comes calling.