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90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days Season 5 gave fans a wild ride. From Jasmine and Gino’s colossal argument to Ella giving Johnny a guilt trip for not traveling during a pandemic, this season was short on likable stars. One of the couples that fans find most problematic is Ben and Mahogany. Ben first introduced himself as a fitness model, but as it turns out, that’s not his real job. Here’s what Before the 90 Days Season 5 star Ben does for a living.

'Before the 90 Days' star Ben Rathbun, seen here in a pink collared shirt.
Ben Rathbun | TLC

The ‘Before the 90 Days’ star told cameras he and Mahogany met due to his work in fitness modeling

Technically, yes, Ben did work as a fitness model at one point in his life. In fact, he and Mahogany met on social media after he began putting his modeling photos on his profile. 

“I started getting just a ton of friend requests and then I looked and saw one of my friends was this gorgeous girl. So, I just did a little hand wave and I got a response. We started DMing back and forth and that has not stopped in the last 115 days,” Ben explained in an early episode of Before the 90 Days Season 5.

What does Ben do for a living?

While Before the 90 Days Season 5 may have focused on fitness modeling when he introduced himself to fans, he says that’s not his full-time job. According to ScreenRant, Ben rarely models for fitness ads anymore. 

The 52-year-old said, “Fitness modeling is something I do on the side but very rarely nowadays. I could never make a living at that. I get absolutely no validation from modeling. It’s just a money grab.”

He added, “My ears are too big, my nose is crooked, I’ve got a droopy eye, my arms are too long.”

Ben previously mentioned he worked as the Executive Director of the Michigan Lupus Foundation. On Feb. 2, 2022, Ben posted a video to the organization’s Facebook page asking for members’ input regarding an upcoming event. However, after police arrested Ben for driving under the influence, the foundation immediately fired him from his position.

Now, it looks like Ben is attempting to start his own program called The Fountain of Youth Program, but once fans caught wind of the news, they immediately began to criticize the organization. Many said they couldn’t tell if it was a multi-level marketing business, a diet and exercise program, or even a cult. 

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Fans criticized the ‘Before the 90 Days’ Season 5 stars for his behavior with Mahogany

Ben’s behavior throughout Before the 90 Days Season 5 rubbed many fans the wrong. From his decision to fly to Peru despite Mahogany asking him not to do that to their 30-year age gap and his insistence their relationship was “God’s will,” Ben was not a fan favorite this season. 

Ben and Mahogany called it quits in the last episode of Before the 90 Days Season 5. However, they surprised everyone at the reunion when they admitted they spoke on the phone the night before TLC filmed the tell-all. 

Part two of the Before the 90 Days Season 5 tell-all airs on Apr. 10, 2022.