In 2026, the American retail franchise Bricks & Minifigs (BAM) and YouTuber "Reckless Ben" Schneider became involved in a dispute over the ownership of a Lego Star Wars collection promoted to be worth US$200,000. The collection was originally consigned to a BAM franchise location in Keizer, Oregon. In May 2026, Schneider published a series of videos alleging that the collection had been illegally retained following a change in franchise ownership. The controversy has also involved the Police Department of American Fork, Utah, and allegations that they are colluding with Bricks & Minifigs to cover up the scandal.
Bricks & Minifigs
Bricks & Minifigs (BAM) is an American retail franchisor founded in 2009,[‡ 1] specializing in the buying, selling, and trading of new and used Lego products through its over 300 franchised locations in the United States and Canada. The company operates primarily through independently owned franchise stores.
The company was founded and originally headquartered in Battle Ground, Washington by collectors David Ortiz and John Masek, with its first retail outlet opening in 2010. Bricks & Minifigs would be sold to Utah brothers Ammon and Matt McNeff in 2018,[1] with Ammon having served as chief executive officer since the acquisition.[2][3] With the change in ownership, the company's headquarters were relocated to Provo, Utah.[‡ 2]
Consignment dispute
In 2023, 83-year-old Ed Mansell, who was in ill health at the time,[4] consigned his collection of Star Wars Lego sets, which he had been collecting since either the late 1990s or early 2000s, to a Bricks & Minifigs store in Keizer, Oregon, operated by Chrystal Law-Gorman and Benjamin Gorman.[5][6] The Bricks & Minifigs franchise in Keizer promoted Mansell's collection as "one of the largest private Star Wars Lego collections in the region" on social media, describing it as being "estimated to be worth well over $200,000".[6]
The agreement is reported to have continued until November 2024, when the franchise ownership was transferred to Brandon Best and Joshua Johnson.[7] Law, Gorman, and their LLC have released statements and allege in a lawsuit filed on March 27, 2026, that their Salem-area store was wrongfully seized by BAM Franchising corporate without prior notice, that they were improperly forced out of the store under "threats to 'call the police'", and that they received no compensation for the confiscated assets.[8][9][7][5]
Ed Mansell's son, Bryan Mansell, claimed that after the change in franchise ownership, the new operators refused to return unsold inventory or honor the consignment contract.[10] In response, CEO McNeff stated that BAM Franchising terminated the prior franchise and maintained that consignment agreements are not authorized under franchise rules.[6] Law and Gorman have disputed this claim, releasing images of their former franchising contract on Reddit which states that the "franchisee may also offer consignment services".[8]
Valuation
The parties dispute the precise valuation of the collection. Bryan Mansell estimated the value of the collection to be $150,000 to $200,000.[6] In a November 2023 post announcing the consignment deal, the Bricks & Minifigs Salem-Keizer Facebook page promoted the collection as being "estimated to be worth well over $200,000."[6] In a June 2026 interview, Chrystal Law-Gorman stated that the initial estimate was made during a walkthrough of the Mansell collection before she had fully examined the sets.[‡ 3][11] According to internal store records, which were reviewed by investigative journalist Coffeezilla, after inventorying the collection the Salem store had appraised it as being worth between $85,000 and $120,000.[‡ 3][12]
On June 2, the Statesman Journal reported that Bricks & Minifigs claimed that the collection was only worth between $60,000 and $80,000.[13] On June 4, Bricks & Minifigs published a statement that "Both parties’ own records place the realistic high-end value at approximately $95,000–$100,000."[‡ 1]
Reckless Ben investigation
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Original investigation and follow up content | |
 I tracked down the thief who stole $200,000 of LEGO (investigation, part 1) | |
| I got Bricks and Minifigs leaked Email | |
| Bricks and Minifigs responded to my video | |
| I got arrested because of legos (investigation, part 2) | |
| My response to the Police | |
| All the footage is released! | |
| My final message |
The dispute gained wider attention after 30-year-old Benjamin Paul Schneider,[15] known on social media as Reckless Ben, published investigation videos on YouTube regarding BAM in May 2026.[16][17][18] As part of his investigation, Schneider employed a series of publicity stunts, including organizing lottery-style raffles and creating a mock rival business called "We Steal From Old People".[13][19] These videos include allegations that corporate personnel involved in terminating the franchise agreement had ties to the incoming operators; such allegations have not yet been adjudicated in court, in large part because of Schneider's extensively-documented difficulties in bringing suit against BAM, and purported collusion by Utah police in creating those difficulties.[6][16] Schneider suggests the officers and new owners of the Keizer franchise, Johnson and Best, are all Mormons,[20] leading to speculation on social media that Bricks & Minifigs and the American Fork Police Department are part of a "Mormon Mafia" conspiracy.[21][22]
Schneider shows that the current franchise owners initially offered to return the Lego sets to Mansell if he issued an apology, though they have reportedly not been returned. He subsequently sued the company,[17] though the Keizer franchisee store permanently closed soon after.[10] He also set up a GoFundMe to raise back the money lost by Mansell.[23][24][25] As of June 8, 2026[update], the GoFundMe has raised over $445,000;[26] Schneider announced that he would put the donations in a legal trust to help Mansell pay his legal fees.[27] On May 28, 2026, an internal crisis management email allegedly sent to Bricks & Minifigs franchises was leaked and subsequently read on social media by Schneider.[28]
Company response
The Bricks & Minifigs website has put up a total of four blog posts covering the situation.[‡ 1][‡ 5][‡ 6][‡ 7] CEO Ammon McNeff appeared on a livestream interview on May 29, 2026.[29][‡ 8] He stated that BAM Franchising was not involved in the disputed consignment agreement and argued that responsibility rested with parties directly involved in the original transaction.[6][30]
On May 30, 2026, BAM filed a lawsuit accusing Schneider, Mansell, and others of coordinating a harassment and extortion campaign against its franchise owners in Utah and Oregon using the state's RICO statute.[20][31]
On June 4, 2026, Bricks & Minifigs claimed that the Salem, Oregon, store would be permanently closed as part of a supposed mutual agreement to part ways with franchise owners Brandon Best and Joshua Johnson. The company also stated that they had contacted Mansell and his family regarding restitution.[32][33] Best, however, still owns the franchise in Eugene, Oregon.[7][34]
On June 10, 2026, Schneider received a gag order preventing him from posting and talking any further about Bricks & Minifigs.[35]
Police response
| External videos | |
|---|---|
| Bricks and Minifigs/Benjamin Schneider Media Release |
Schneider claimed to be involved in legal troubles in Utah,[3][18] having been arrested twice there[36] after visiting Johnson at his house in American Fork,[14] once in an attempt to serve him legal papers.[37] Schneider alleged that the American Fork Police Department searched his vehicles, arrested and jailed him for multiple days,[38] and that his shoulder was dislocated by an officer during one of those arrests.[37] On March 10, 2026, Schneider was formally charged with stalking and residential targeted picketing, as well as disorderly conduct and trespassing after multiple stunts at the home of Johnson. He was scheduled to appear in court on June 8, 2026.[20] A second arrest occurred the following day, on March 11, with a judge-approved search warrant to search the Airbnb at which Schneider was staying for stolen Legos. Schneider and four of his associates were arrested, with everyone but Schneider later released.[15] The charges against Schneider could result in five years in prison.[3] Schneider claimed at the end of a video[when?] that a new no-bail warrant had been issued against him for "mystery" reasons, and that he had fled to Mexico as a result.[21][39]
On May 29, 2026, the American Fork Police Department published a news release stating that there were no active warrants for Schneider in Utah and that they were not currently seeking him.[20] In the news release, the police also shared videos captured from the body cameras worn by its officers during their interactions with the parties involved.[37] Portions of the videos were either wholly redacted or had audio redacted.[37] Keizer Police confirmed an ongoing investigation reviewed by the Marion County District Attorney's Office, and civil litigation related to the dispute was reported to be ongoing.[10][6] Schneider posted a rebuttal of the police response on June 1, accusing them of having obfuscated the reason for his arrest.[21][40]
On June 3, a Reddit user claimed to have discovered unredacted body camera and dashcam footage of events, which they said had been shared via a public Dropbox link attached to a YouTube video from the American Fork Police Department.[41] Schneider asserted this footage had been released due to a "hack",[42] but the AFPD says it released the footage accidentally.[43][44] Reddit discussions claimed that the police department had deleted the files soon after their release.[41]
Reactions
The controversy has attracted attention from YouTubers, legal commentators, journalists, and news organizations. Commentary channels such as Cr1TiKaL and xQc have criticized Bricks & Minifigs and the American Fork Police Department's response to the controversy.[45]
On June 3, 2026, Patreon CEO Jack Conte announced in a YouTube video that Bricks & Minifigs had sent them a legal notice to shut down Schneider's Patreon account, and stated that "Bricks & Minifigs can stuff it. We are keeping Ben’s page up. And if Bricks & Minifigs doesn’t like that, they can sue us."[46][47]
Harassment by vigilantes
The controversy has impacted neighboring police departments that have no involvement in the dispute; dispatchers reported receiving a high volume of calls about the case, potentially delaying emergency responses, with some callers being abusive and harassing.[48] On June 4, a locally owned and operated Bricks & Minifigs franchise in Sacramento, California, announced that they would close for at least a week from June 13, aiming to reopen on the 19th,[49] due to harassment, including death threats, in connection to the dispute.[50][51] Another franchise based in San Luis Obispo, California, also reported receiving calls.[52] Bricks & Minifigs' corporate office indicated that the backlash from this controversy had extended to various franchise locations nationwide.[53] Schneider has opposed any harassment in his videos, saying that "no one should be getting harassment at all. Not even the bad guys."[31]
References
- ↑ Kimmel, Ashley (November 19, 2024). "Bricks & Minifigs Coming to Grandview". Columbus Underground. Archived from the original on June 2, 2026. Retrieved June 2, 2026.
- ↑ "Bricks and Minifigs Lego scandal deepens as Reckless Ben claims arrest and raises questions over CEO". The Express Tribune. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on May 27, 2026. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Roy, Madhurima (May 27, 2026). "Who is Ammon McNeff? Bricks and Minifigs CEO comes under fire as Reckless Ben Patreon lego controversy intensifies". Primetimer. Archived from the original on May 27, 2026. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
- ↑ Abbott, Benjamin (June 5, 2026). "How this $20,000 Lego Star Wars collection ignited a dramatic internet meltdown involving everything from the Mormon church to alleged police corruption". GamesRadar+. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- 1 2 Masnick, Mike (June 2, 2026). "Everyone In This Lego Dispute Should Have Spoken To A Lawyer Earlier Than They Did". Techdirt. Archived from the original on June 5, 2026. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Peone, Jesse (March 30, 2026). "Keizer Lego Dispute Centers on Star Wars Collection". Salem Business Journal. Archived from the original on May 27, 2026. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Varlamos, Vasili (June 4, 2026). "How a $200,000 Lego collection sparked a national internet frenzy". KATU. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
- 1 2 "Former Bricks and Minifigs franchise owner speaks out over $200K Lego collection dispute". The Express Tribune. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on May 27, 2026. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
- ↑ "Ex-Bricks and Minifigs franchise owner details $200K Lego seizure in lengthy follow-up video". The Express Tribune. May 29, 2026. Archived from the original on May 29, 2026. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Woodworth, Whitney (March 21, 2026). "Sign on shuttered Keizer store accuses Bricks & Minifigs of Lego theft". Statesman Journal. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
- ↑ Roy, Sumit (June 12, 2026). "Benjamin Gorman puts Bricks & Minifigs inventory mystery under spotlight amid viral Coffeezilla LEGO controversy". Times of India. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
- ↑ Masnick, Mike (June 12, 2026). "And Now Basically Everyone In This LEGO Dispute Looks Sketchy". techdirt.com. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
- 1 2 Woodworth, Whitney (June 2, 2026). "The latest on Keizer Bricks & Minifigs and prized Star Wars Lego set". Statesman Journal.
- 1 2 "Viral videos allege pricey Lego theft. Here's how Utah police entered the conversation". WSVN. Associated Press. June 5, 2026. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- 1 2 Shelton, Rob (May 30, 2026). "YouTuber arrested twice by AF police over Lego dispute". American Fork Citizen. Archived from the original on May 31, 2026. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
- 1 2 Pring, Joe (May 12, 2026). "Dispute over $200k Lego Star Wars collection triggers lawsuits and viral investigation". Dexerto. Archived from the original on May 27, 2026. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
- 1 2 Kotzer, Zack (May 24, 2026). "YouTuber Raided By Police In Attempt To Rescue Lego Collection". Kotaku. Archived from the original on May 28, 2026. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
- 1 2 "Inside the $200K Lego battle: Reckless Ben vs Bricks and Minifigs, 'cult', and legal threats". The Express Tribune. May 27, 2026. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
- ↑ Kotzer, Zack (May 24, 2026). "YouTuber Starts A Cult And Is Raided By Police In Attempt To Recover Old Man's Star Wars Lego Collection". Kotaku. Archived from the original on May 30, 2026. Retrieved May 31, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Miller, Jordan; Moilanen, Samantha (May 30, 2026). "A dispute over a prized Star Wars Lego collection led to a YouTube crusade. Then came the stalking charges in Utah". The Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on May 30, 2026. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Parker, Lewis (June 1, 2026). "YouTuber Investigating Stolen Lego Star Wars Collection Flees To Mexico". Kotaku. Archived from the original on June 3, 2026. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
- ↑ Chapman, Tom (June 9, 2026). "Reckless Ben threatened with jail time over final part of 'stolen' $200,000 LEGO YouTube series". UNILADTech. Archived from the original on June 9, 2026. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- ↑ Roy, Madhurima (May 27, 2026). "What is the Bricks and Minifigs lego scam scandal? Entire $200,000 lawsuit controversy explained as Reckless Ben GoFundMe raises more than $10K". Primetimer. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
- ↑ "Reckless Ben's GoFundMe passes $10K amid Bricks and Minifigs Lego lawsuit dispute". The Express Tribune. May 27, 2026. Archived from the original on May 27, 2026. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
- ↑ "Reckless Ben's GoFundMe for Bryan Mansell surpasses $100K amid ongoing Bricks and Minifigs dispute". The Express Tribune. May 31, 2026. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
- ↑ Express, Dallas (June 8, 2026). "YouTuber 'Reckless Ben' exposes alleged theft of $200K LEGO collection from 83-year-old man". Dallas Express. Archived from the original on June 9, 2026. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- ↑ Barke, Joey (June 3, 2026). 'We never thought it would get this crazy.' Reckless Ben on what's next in viral Lego case (Video). WTTG ((FOX 5 Washington DC)). Retrieved June 3, 2026 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "Reckless Ben reveals leaked Bricks and Minifigs email detailing PR strategy for $200K Lego scandal". The Express Tribune. May 29, 2026. Archived from the original on May 29, 2026. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
- ↑ "Bricks and Minifigs CEO Ammon McNeff addresses $200K Lego dispute in lengthy interview". The Express Tribune. May 31, 2026. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
- ↑ "Bricks and Minifigs issues official statement on $200K Lego dispute". The Express Tribune. May 29, 2026. Archived from the original on May 29, 2026. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
- 1 2 Jones, Abigail (June 3, 2026). "'I just thought it was such a crazy level of injustice': YouTuber at center of Lego dispute speaks, explains why he got involved in the first place". ABC4.com. KTVX. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
- ↑ Jones, Abigail (June 4, 2026). "Bricks & Minifigs 'parts ways' with franchise owners at center of stolen Lego scandal, offers to meet with collector". ABC4.com. KTVX.
- ↑ Wirthlin, Joe (June 4, 2026). "Utah-based reseller parts ways with owners involved in viral Lego theft allegations". KSL Newsradio. Archived from the original on June 6, 2026. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- ↑ Kuhn, Eli (June 5, 2026). "Keizer Bricks & Minifigs shut down after viral LEGO collection controversy". KEZI 9 News. Archived from the original on June 7, 2026. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
- ↑ Onder, Cade (June 9, 2026). "YouTuber Reckless Ben Says He Will Go to Jail If He Continues to Talk About LEGO Reseller Bricks & Minifigs". IGN Southeast Asia. Archived from the original on June 10, 2026. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
- ↑ Keel, Carson (June 3, 2026). "Nationwide Lego resale store caught up in alleged theft scandal, YouTuber lawsuit". WZDX. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Jones, Abigail. "Conflict over purportedly stolen Legos leads to accusations of misconduct against American Fork Police Department". ABC4.com. KTVX. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
- ↑ "Reckless Ben details arrests in new video about Bricks and Minifigs $200K Lego collection dispute". The Express Tribune. May 31, 2026. Archived from the original on May 31, 2026. Retrieved May 31, 2026.
- ↑ Choi, Justin (June 13, 2026). "California influencer flees to Mexico as Lego scandal widens: 'We want the harassment to stop'". NY Post. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
- ↑ Shelton, Rob (June 3, 2026). "Reckless Ben fires back at AF Police Chief's statement". American Fork Citizen. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
- 1 2 "Leaked AFPD bodycam footage adds new questions to Reckless Ben and Bricks & Minifigs dispute". The Express Tribune. June 4, 2026. Archived from the original on June 7, 2026. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
- ↑ Parker, Lewis (June 4, 2026). "Police Force Involved In Lego Investigation 'Hacked,' YouTuber Claims". Kotaku. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- ↑ Jones, Abigail (June 4, 2026). "Alleged stolen Legos leads to accusations of misconduct against Utah police". NewsNation. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- ↑ Sitz, Alicia (June 6, 2026). "Company linked to Lego scandal to repay family, shuts down store". NewsNation. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
- ↑ Koebler, Jason (June 4, 2026). "I Must Attempt to Explain the Lego Scandal Rocking YouTube, Entire State of Utah". 404 Media. Archived from the original on June 4, 2026. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
- ↑ Phillips, Tom (June 3, 2026). "'Bricks & Minifigs Can Stuff It': The Boss of Patreon Just Publicly Shamed a LEGO Reseller Embroiled in One of the Wildest Internet Dramas in Years". IGN. Archived from the original on June 3, 2026. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
- ↑ K, Pallavi (June 3, 2026). ""That's the guy from Pomplamoose": Patreon CEO Jack Conte's link to indie band surprises fans as video slamming Bricks & Minifigs goes viral". SoapCentral. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- ↑ Jones, Abigail (June 1, 2026). "Utah agencies inundated by calls as American Fork Police faces controversy over Lego YouTuber arrest". ABC4.com. KTVX. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
- ↑ Campbell, Sean (June 6, 2026). "Sacramento Bricks & Minifigs will close for 1 week after staff received threats of harm". The Sacramento Bee. Archived from the original on June 7, 2026. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
- ↑ Padilla, Cecilio (June 5, 2026). "Sacramento Bricks & Minifigs caught in fallout from Oregon LEGO dispute". CBS Sacramento. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- ↑ Reynoso, Esteban (June 5, 2026). "Bricks & Minifigs Pocket Sacramento set to close for a week after alleged harassment and death threats". KCRA. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- ↑ Tovar, Ricardo (June 8, 2026). "Central Coast Bricks & Minifigs gets calls amid viral Oregon LEGO dispute". KSBW. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
- ↑ Malone, Lilli. "Ohio Bricks & Minifigs stores facing hate over Oregon Lego controversy". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
Primary sources
In the text, these references are preceded by a double dagger (‡):
- 1 2 3 "What We Presently Believe Actually Happened: A Summary Timeline of Bricks & Minifigs Salem Store". BAM Corporate. June 4, 2026. Archived from the original on June 5, 2026. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
- ↑ "Join the Bricks & Minifigs Franchise: LEGO Resale Success". Bricks & Minifigs Franchise. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
- 1 2 Coffeezilla (June 10, 2026). I Found The $200,000 Missing Lego. Retrieved June 11, 2026 – via YouTube.
- ↑ Reckless Ben (May 22, 2026). I tracked down the thief who stole $200,000 of LEGO – via YouTube.
- ↑ marketingteam (June 4, 2026). "Bricks & Minifigs Parts Ways with Salem, Oregon Franchise Owners Brandon Best and Joshua Johnson". BAM Corporate. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
- ↑ marketingteam (May 28, 2026). "Bricks & Minifigs Salem, Oregon Store: Official Statement". BAM Corporate. Archived from the original on June 5, 2026. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
- ↑ marketingteam (May 21, 2026). "A Note to Our Community about the Bricks & Minifigs® Salem, OR Store". BAM Corporate. Archived from the original on June 5, 2026. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
- ↑ ACOB (May 30, 2026). Bricks & Minifigs CEO Answers YOUR Questions~! – via YouTube.
