Ben Rathbun from90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Daysbecame controversial after his season 5 debut with Mahogany Roca, and it’s time to talk about what he’s up to today.Ben was a 52-year-old fitness modelwhen themuch younger Mahogany sent him a friend requestafter coming across his photos. However, Mahogany found it difficult to trust a man she met on the internet.Ben was a youth pastor.He married his church’s children’s ministry partner, Lisa, and they were together for 24 years, during which they had four children.
Ben and Lisa tried counseling to save their marriage but filed for divorce when things didn’t work out. Ben later got engaged to a 27-year-old woman who he had been with for three years, but she didn’t accept his children. WhenBen met Mahogany from Peru, they connected over their faith. Ben told the cameras thatdespite the age gap,“The Lord is blessing this relationship.”He began dating a woman who was his daughter’s age on the show, but Mahogany didn’t seem trustworthy.
Mahogany Used Too Many Filters & Ghosted Ben More Than Once
Ben and Mahogany weren’t well-liked cast members, but they’ve had one of the most interesting storylines, just based on the number of plot twists. Ben and Mahogany met on social media after she DM’d him after seeing his modeling photos. However, when it came to talking on video chat, Mahogany was suddenly the shy one. Ben said his age gap with Mahogany was 28 years, adding that they had “Jesus in common.” However, Ben later learned thatMahogany was not 24 - she was 22 years old. Ben knew Mahogany only through the highly filtered pictures she posted online.
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Ben mentioned he sent about $1,000 to Mahogany during the three months they dated, even though he was skeptical, since he’d been previously scammed by someone in Nigeria. Mahogany stood Ben up at the airport when he reached Peru to see her in person. Relentless, Ben then went to her hometown of San Bartolo, where Mahogany showed uplooking nothing like the woman in the photos online.She also acted awkwardly with Ben. Mahogany did not say “I love you” back, which Ben had found to be “concerning.”
Ben Was Arrested In March 2020
Ben Was Fired From His Job After The Arrest
Ben was arrested in March 2022, after he did not appear at a probation violation hearing. Ben was originally booked for operating while under the influence and driving with a suspended license in 2020.Hemissed a scheduled appearance at a probation violation hearing in February 2020after being sentenced to 18 months' probation. Ben was taken into custody and his bail was set to $10,000, as perUsWeekly. Ben later informedInTouchthat he was fired from his Michigan Lupus Foundation following news of his arrest.
“[it was] falsely reported that I had been picked up late at night for drunk driving…But still, I had committed a crime and put myself and others in danger. And … I had hid it from them and even my family.”
According to Ben, in September 2020, hewent to help a homeless couple living at a Red Roof Inn, and they offered him a little plastic cup of wine. He claimed the couple spiked his drink with flubromazolam, after which he “completely lost 24 hours.” He said he stopped at a hotel and, while attempting to drive home the next day, he hit the curb, damaging the car. His breathalyzer test showed no alcohol, but a blood draw at the police station confirmed flubromazolam.
Mahogany & Ben Were Spotted Filming
Were Ben & Mahogany Supposed To Be In A New Spin-Off?
A few months after his arrest, Ben was spotted in Peru, where he seemed to be filming for a new spin-off. Reddit userThe_Chuckness88posted a photo that shows Ben and Mahogany standing next to each other alongside a film crew and security. According to the OP,the leaked picture is from the “celebration of Fiestas Patrias'‘sometime between “July 28 and July 29.” While Ben and Mahogany weren’t holding hands in the photo and standing apart, they were dressed up and seemingly enjoying a date.
Ben Announced He Was Engaged To Mahogany
Ben & Mahogany Launched A YouTube Channel Together
Ben and Mahogany never really let fans know that they were together after the show ended. The Tell All never provided any clarity on their relationship status. However, Ben posted a video on their joint YouTube channel in August 2022 to announce his engagement. Ben had filmed himself visiting a jewelry shop and purchasing an 18-carat white gold ring. “I’m in love with this just like I’m in love with Mahogany,” Ben laughed. He added that no one believed in him and Mahogany, and no one thought it was possible, “but I am going to make her my wife.”
Ben proposed to Mahogany at the La Milonga del SanTito restaurant featured on90 Day Fiancé. Mahogany said yes to being Ben’s wife. The couple were joined by Mahogany’s dad, who gave them his blessing.
Mahogany shared a post in January 2023, where she posed for a selfie with Ben. She captioned it, “I had company last week. Did you guessed?” Along with a naughty selfie, Mahogany shared a picture where Ben was lying down in bed. Fans such as Reddit usersolitacholnoticed a shiny ring on90 Day Fiancéstar Ben’s left hand in the last photo, which made them ask,“Soooo they’re together and what’s with the wedding band ???”
Ben & Mahogany Got Married
Ben Was Selling His Blood For Money
90 Day Fiancé’s Ben and Mahogany returned to the franchise in an episode of90 Day Diaries. Ben revealed he and Mahogany married in a civil ceremony. However, Ben expected Mahogany to build trust with her. They were going through a “really difficult transition” because Ben didn’t have a steady job.
He was showngiving blood at a blood bank for money.Ben wasn’t able to get Mahogany a visa because of his financial issues. However, Ben had found a way to fly to Peru. Mahogany was still trying to ghost Ben despite their being married. Mahogany was not happy with her decision.
Ben Was Arrested Again In November 2024
Ben Arrested & Charged With Multiple Offenses
Since Ben and Mahogany didn’t have public social media accounts, fans weren’t able to interact with them as they did with other90 Day Fiancéstars. Ben and Mahogany managed to stay out of the news, but in November 2024, viewers shockingly learned that Ben was arrested. BloggerShabootyposted that Ben was arrested on August 04, 2025, andcharged with failing to pay child support in Macomb County, Michigan.Ben was being held at Oakland County, Michigan jail with no trial date.
Moreover,Starcasmposted that Ben was facing a felony count of embezzlement from a non-profit or charity. When Ben was arraigned on that Monday, the charge was originally filed in October 2018. Ben was allegedlyembezzling from his former employer, the Michigan Lupus Foundation,from where he was previously fired. Shabooty claimed that Ben had been hiding in Peru with Mahogany. His passport was flagged when he came to the U.S. He was extradited to Michigan from Washington DC. That’s why it has taken six years for Ben to be charged.
He Was Seemingly Ill
As perShabooty, the90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Daysstar allegedly hascirrhosis of the liver and was hospitalized in Peru.After Ben was hospitalized in Peru, his family wished to bring him to America for treatment. Ben’s family members paid for his return, after which he was arrested. It appears Mahogany accompanied Ben, and she is also in the U.S. now. Mahogany seems to be staying with Ben’s family in Michigan.
Ben Rathbun Has Sadly Passed Away
He Will Be Missed
At the age of 55, Ben’s life ended. It’s sad that he was taken from the world, and Mahogany, so soon. He reportedly passed away due to stomach cancer.He was with loved ones in Greencastle, Indiana, when he died.His family members are mourning the man whose life was often turbulent. They know the real Ben, and they are grieving.Shabootyhonored him on Instagram, as seen above.
Reality stars are often painted as villains or heroes, but the truth can be more complicated. Everyone has made mistakes - everyone has fumbled in life. It’s just that these celebrities are under intense scrutiny. When they err, people usually find out about it. If non-famous people were subjected to the same kinds of standards, they might seem like “bad” people too. Fans knew some sides of Ben, based on what they saw onscreen and on social media, but they didn’t know everything.
Now, it’s time to remember… to look back with kindness.He is gone and likely suffered greatly before his death.Hopefully, doctors were able to ease his pain when he was in palliative care. Everyone must die, and dealing with a terminal cancer diagnosis is emotionally grueling. They say that most people accept what is happening eventually, but it’s not easy for anyone.
Those who are left behind must also suffer. They miss their loved ones - they want to talk to them and be with them. It’s like the universe has shifted on its axis, becoming a darker and colder place. So, fans should be especially kind to90 Day Fiancé’s Mahogany, as she grieves this terrible loss.
90 Day Fiancé: Before The 90 Daysairs Sundays at 8 p.m. EST on TLC.
90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days
Cast
A deeper look into the lives of couples established in 90 Day Fiancé, 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days is a reality tv/documentary series that follows the potential spouse from a foreign country and their lead-up to their journey to America. The show documents the early days of the relationship across the ocean and the K-1 visa process required for the spouse to live in the new country. Couples battle with culture shock, language barriers, and the opinions of friends and families alike as they prepare themselves to take the ultimate leap.
