Dementia Patient Believed Donald Trump Was Personally Messaging Him — Then Gave Over $80K to Political Causes

Richard Benjamin, an 81-year-old Arizona man with dementia, was documented in a CNN investigation published in October 2024. (This is a 2024 case, not from 2026.)

Benjamin believed political messages on his phone were personal communications from Donald Trump and other politicians. His family later discovered he had made more than $80,000 in political donations through WinRed.

Benjamin's story was featured in a CNN investigation examining political fundraising involving elderly Americans experiencing cognitive decline. The investigation reviewed more than 1,000 public reports and complaints and documented cases in which families said elderly relatives contributed substantially more money than they intended.

Richard Benjamin Believed Trump Was Contacting Him

Benjamin received numerous political text messages and fundraising communications. According to his family, he believed some of the messages were genuine personal communications from politicians.

He told relatives that Trump had invited him to a reception at Mar-a-Lago. He later believed he had received a VIP invitation to a Trump rally in Arizona and began making plans to attend. His family eventually examined his financial records and discovered the scale of his political contributions.

More Than $80,000 in Donations

Benjamin made more than $80,000 in political donations through WinRed, a fundraising platform used by Republican political organizations. While many individual contributions were relatively small, the transactions accumulated quickly. He made more than 100 donations in a single day.

His son, Jason Benjamin, said his father depleted his savings and accumulated approximately $50,000 in debt. The family later sold his house and car before moving him into assisted living.

When his son showed him records of the transactions, Benjamin was reportedly surprised by the number of donations. His family said he believed Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and other political figures were communicating with him personally.

A Wider Pattern Among Elderly Donors

Benjamin's case was part of a broader examination of elderly political donors experiencing cognitive decline. The investigation examined a sample of 52 elderly donors who collectively contributed more than $6 million. Many were reported by their families to have dementia or other forms of cognitive decline.

The cases involved fundraising organizations connected to both major US political parties. Most of the money in the cited sample went to Donald Trump and other Republican candidates, but the investigation also included cases involving Democratic fundraising organizations. In one case, a family said a woman experiencing cognitive decline donated more than $200,000 to Democratic campaigns through ActBlue.

Recurring Donations Could Add Up

Digital political fundraising can include recurring contribution options. Campaigns may send appeals through text messages and email that direct recipients to online donation pages. A donor intending to make a single contribution can end up authorizing recurring payments if the option is selected and not later cancelled.

For people experiencing memory loss or cognitive decline, repeated messages and recurring transactions can make it harder to track spending. The investigation documented elderly donors making dozens of contributions and, in some cases, more than 100 in a single day.

Benjamin's family did not initially know how much money had been donated. His son eventually reviewed financial records and phone messages and discovered the extent of the transactions.

According to the family's account, Benjamin became increasingly isolated after his wife died in 2018, with that isolation increasing during the COVID-19 pandemic. His son said the political messages appeared to give his father a sense of attention and connection.

What the Fundraising Organizations Said

WinRed did not respond to repeated requests for comment at the time of the investigation. The Trump campaign said donors are notified before recurring donations are processed and that staff are available to help with cancellations and refunds.

ActBlue said it has a customer-service team available to assist donors and that exceptions can be made to its standard 90-day refund policy when there are indications that a donor experienced cognitive decline.