The dispute between YouTuber Reckless Ben and Bricks & Minifigs has become one of the biggest online stories in the LEGO community. What began as a claim over a missing Star Wars Lego set worth about $200,000 has grown into a legal battle involving lawsuits, police actions, fundraisers and millions of video views.The latest development occurred on June 10, 2026, when a GoFundMe page created for Bryan Mansell and his father was restored after briefly disappearing. Reckless Ben says the fundraiser has been canceled as part of the lawsuit against him. The fundraiser has since gone back online and, as of this writing, has raised more than $457,000 of its $500,000 goal.Many are trying to follow the story as new claims, responses and court filings continue to emerge. Here’s a full look at how the Bricks and Minifigures and Reckless Ben controversy unfolded and where it stands now.
Missing Star Wars Lego Collection
The story begins with Brian Mansell and his 80-year-old father. They said they consigned their rare Star Wars Lego collection, worth about $200,000, to a Bricks & Minifigs store in Salem-Keizer, Oregon.The agreement allows the store to sell the suits and take a 35 percent commission, according to the family. Ownership of the collection remains with the Mansell family until each piece is sold. They also said that if the agreement was terminated before all items were purchased, the collection should be returned.In November 2024, the store ownership changed. Former franchisees Crystal Gorman and Robert Gorman later claimed that they informed the new operator of Mansell’s collection and that he agreed to be responsible for it.The Mansell family terminated the agreement later that month, saying payments were not being made and they were not allowed to inspect the remaining sets. They claim the collection was never returned.Bricks & Minifigs later said in May 2026 that the company was not part of the consignment agreement and had no obligations related to it.
Reckless Ben starts investigating
After learning about the Mansell family’s story, Reckless began posting investigative videos about the missing collection. He argued that the Lego set had not been returned to its owner, and police reportedly treated the matter as a civil dispute.As the investigation continues, the scope of the videos extends beyond the collection itself and examines people associated with the case and the wider company. Ben also pulled off some high-profile stunts, including creating fake competing businesses.The videos quickly attracted millions of views and brought intense public attention to the dispute.On May 30, 2026, Ben posted another video showing him trying to contact Joshua Johnson, a Bricks & Minifigs employee and one of the Salem-Keizer store franchise owners, about legal matters.The same video shows that Ben and another member of his team were arrested and police executed a court-approved search warrant in connection with the case.Ben claims Johnson’s ties to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints may have influenced how the situation was handled. However, the American Fork Police Department denied these claims. The department said police were responding to several complaints from Johnson and his family, and claimed Benn continued to contact Johnson after being warned, photographing his home and placing signs near the home.
Litigation and Company Response
As interest in the case grows, Bricks & Minifigs CEO Ammon McNeff has begun to become more publicly involved.On June 1, leaked body camera footage showed McNeff accusing Reckless of trying to “blackmail” the company. He also claims that Ben and the Mansell family are working together against bricks and minifigures. Benn denies the accusations and says his job is a legitimate investigation.One day later, on June 2, Bricks & Minifigs filed a lawsuit against Reckless Ben, Bryan Mansell and others related to the dispute.According to court documents, the company claims the defendants engaged in a coordinated campaign that included false accusations, fabricated claims, deceptive conduct and confrontation designed to harm the company’s reputation and business interests.Those named in the lawsuit dispute the allegations.
Store Closures and GoFundMe Returns
On June 4, Bricks & Minifigs announced that its Salem Keizer store would permanently close. The company also confirmed it had separated from franchise owners Brandon Best and Joshua Johnson, saying its business had been affected by what it called a devastating social media campaign.New court documents surfaced on June 9, revealing that Bricks & Minifigs has officially moved forward with its lawsuit against Reckless Ben and the Mansell family. The documents show they can be served to both parties via email, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 30.Later that day, Reckless uploaded a video titled “My Last Message.” In the video, he stated that the third episode of his Bricks & Minifigs series has been completed but cannot be released.“I can’t post it or I’ll go to jail,” Ben said.He also claimed legal restrictions prevented him from discussing parts of the case and argued he was not given an opportunity to fully express his side before those restrictions were imposed.Ben further revealed that the GoFundMe campaign created for Bryan Mansell and his father has been taken down. However, on June 10, the fundraiser became available again after previously displaying a “Fundraise not found” message. As of this writing, neither Brian Mansell nor Reckless have issued any other public responses since fundraising resumed.
