I think that someone with a form of mental illness could certainly reach delusions that create a self-vision of grandeur. For someone who feels pathologically unimportant, then having lots of important people give you focus, even if it is victimizing you, would potentially provide some sense of relief from such a condition.

On the other hand, someone who has been tormented in the manner the interviewee describes would certainly potentially exhibit signs of mental illness, etc.

But yeah, <the story> is a little too convenient.

To posit that these individuals DID gather to do this in one location, one would have to provide a reason and motive for that. I mean, the WHY of why would they do this, in this way. As opposed to having a group where one or two of them are principals and are participating in a larger gathering.