90 Day Fiancé: Before The 90 Days newcomer, Ben Rathbun might have disappointed viewers with his arrest, but not many fans are surprised to see Ben behind bars given his questionable onscreen behavior. Ben was arrested and released on March 15 after he allegedly violated his probation stemming from an OUI and suspended license arrest in 2020. This has caused many 90 Day Fiancé fans to look into Ben’s past, though his arrest is not a total surprise to viewers.
Ben is currently under fire from fans due to his age-gapped relationship with Mahogany Roca. Ben, 52, is 30 years older than the woman he has been fervently pursuing. Ben claims that God led him to Mahogany and is therefore responsible for her feelings and responses. However, many viewers believe this is an excuse for dating someone so young. As the Executive Director of the Michigan Lupus Foundation, Ben is believed to have a stable and healthy income that funds his life in Michigan. However, his probation violation arrest could potentially jeopardize his job security.
U/EmotionalMycologist9 took to Reddit to open a discussion about Ben's recent arrest. Many commenters did not appear surprised to hear that Ben had been arrested, since he appears to have questionable decision-making skills. Commenters were quick to make jokes about Ben stemming from his infamous train story, as well as to ask if he thought it was "God's plan" for him to end up behind bars. He did make it clear that God influences all of his actions and decisions. "The Lord Giveth and the Lord Taketh Away," one commenter joked, while another wrote back, "It was the Lord who drove him to drive drunk :)." Many commenters made similar jokes after they expressed their outrage about Ben using his faith in God as the reason why he was pursuing Mahogany despite their three-decade age difference.
Though Ben gave no indication of issues with substances on Before The 90 Days, not many viewers are surprised to see his arrest. Ben has made many viewers uncomfortable with how he continues to pursue Mahogany despite her visible lack of interest. He arrived in her home country even though she asked him not to and has been accused by viewers of stalking the 22-year-old. Therefore, fans aren't surprised to see he was arrested for breaking the law. "His true personality shines through," one commenter noted. "HOLY crow. So his only vices aren't young (young women) I see? I anticipate we will receive a new poem about how it was God's plan for him not to call an Uber," another commenter added.
Overall, the response to Ben's arrest makes it clear that he has earned the wrath of many 90 Day Fiancé franchise fans. Though the extended franchise features many relationships with significant age gaps, including Mark and Nikki Shoemaker, viewers are particularly annoyed with Ben for using his faith as a justification for his dating choices. Franchise fans are also concerned that Ben is not respecting Mahogany's boundaries or taking responsibility for why his past relationships failed. It remains unclear if Ben will keep his current job, appear at the Tell-All, or have to spend more time in jail. However, many 90 Day Fiancé: Before The 90 Days, viewers are interested in seeing how Ben's story pans out.
Source: u/EmotionalMycologist9/Reddit