PHOTOSBachelorette Frontrunner Ben Zom Charged With Theft In 2009 — Inside His Criminal Past!
June 10 2015, Updated 9:11 p.m. ET
Ben Zom joined The Bachelorette to steal Kaitlyn Bristowe’s heart – but she may want to make sure he doesn’t swipe anything else! The show’s frontrunner was busted for stealing a textbook while a sophomore at San Jose State University in March 2009.
A bookstore security guard contacted campus police after the reality star left the store without paying for a $127 textbook, police and court documents obtained by Star magazine reveal.
Ben maintained his innocence and explained that he forgot to pay for the book. But a security video shows him taking off the wrapper and price tag from the book before he put it in his backpack.
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He was charged with misdemeanor petty theft and took a plea deal. The charge was dropped, but Ben had to complete 20 hours of volunteer work.
Ben isn’t the only contestant who had a run-in with the law. Fellow contestant Daniel Finney was arrested for a DUI in 2013.
Do you think the theft will affect his relationship with Kaitlyn? Tell us in the comments below or tweet @OKMagazine!
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