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90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days star Ben Rathbun was arrested and charged with embezzlement of $1,000-$20,000 from a non-profit or charitable organization, In Touch can confirm. He is being accused of stealing from the Michigan Lupus Foundation, where he worked before being fired in March 2022.
Ben, 55, was arraigned on Monday, November 25, and released from jail on Tuesday, November 26, after being given a $10,000 bond, according to online records viewed by In Touch. His case will continue with a probable cause hearing on December 9. 90 Day Fiancé blogger Shabooty.com was first to report the news.
The offense date for Ben’s charge was listed as October 2018. The reality star has reportedly been “hiding out in Peru” with wife Mahogany Roca and was arrested when he arrived back in the United States and his passport was flagged, according to Shabooty.
On March 30, 2022, the Michigan Lupus Foundation confirmed that Ben had been fired from his position at the organization. “Effective immediately, Ben Rathbun is no longer an employee,” the company wrote on Facebook.
After the news broke, Ben exclusively told In Touch that the firing “will serve to humble me and allow greater growth in me as a person.” He also said, “Anything that would distract us from accomplishing the mission of our charity should be dealt with appropriately. I had become a major distraction, and I know this process, while painful, is the best course of action. [This] will eventually lead me to another place of service that [I] can use my talents to help people.”
News of Ben’s latest legal issues comes after In Touch confirmed on Monday, November 25, that the TLC star was arrested on November 22 in Macomb County, Michigan, for failing to pay child support. Before marrying Mahogany, Ben was divorced and had four kids.
Following the child support arrest, Ben was held in civil contempt. “Civil contempt of court refers to disobedience of an order of the court which carries quasi-criminal penalties rather than direct criminal penalties,” according to Cornell Law. “The goal of civil contempt of court charges is to persuade the party or person subject to the charges to comply with the court order(s). Unlike other civil penalties, however, civil contempt of court can result in jail time.”
In February, Ben announced on 90 Day Diaries that he and Mahogany had gotten married. “Our civil ceremony was just brilliant. I could not believe how beautiful it was,” he gushed. “[We’re] still planning on having a religious ceremony and [doing] it right.” At the time, Mahogany was living in Peru and Ben was still living in Michigan.
Ben and his wife met over social media and dated long-distance for a few months before meeting in person for the first time. She stood him up during their first planned meeting, adding to his family’s speculation that she wasn’t who she said she was. However, the two eventually got together and battled ups and downs in their relationship to stay together.
English (US) ·