New Bedford Man Sentenced for Social Security Fraud

BOSTON (WBSM) — A New Bedford man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for fraudulently receiving nearly $100,000 in Social Security disability benefits while also failing to report income from his bulldog breeding business.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Anthony Patterson, 62, was sentenced today to time served (one day) and three years of supervised release, with six months served in home confinement, and was ordered to pay $92,582 in restitution to the Social Security Administration.

Patterson pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money in June 2024 after being charged the month prior.

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Patterson collected Supplemental Security Income from 2013 to 2023, and in two interviews with the SSA in 2012 and 2022, made sworn false statements regarding his marital status and living situation to conceal household income and resources.

As a result of his deception, Patterson collected $92,582 in SSI benefits that he was not eligible to receive.

Patterson was also running a business breeding and selling show bulldogs, which fetched between $3,000 and $7,000 apiece. He failed to report the work and income associated with that business so that he would not exceed the resource limits for SSI.

Patterson also told the SSA in 2007 that he could not lift more than 20 pounds because of restrictions from his doctor, but then participated in weightlifting competitions where he lifted over 400 pounds.

He also failed to tell the SSA that his medical condition had improved as required for Social Security disability programs.