What really happened to Reckless Ben’s GoFundMe amid the missing LEGO set controversy? (Image via Getty)
The dispute between YouTuber Reckless Ben and Bricks & Minifigs has turned into one of the biggest online stories in the LEGO community. What started as claims about a missing Star Wars LEGO set worth nearly $200,000 has now evolved into a legal battle involving lawsuits, police action, fundraising efforts, and millions of video views.The latest development came on June 10, 2026, when a GoFundMe page created for Bryan Mansell and his father after they briefly disappeared was restored. Reckless Ben said the fundraiser was removed as part of the lawsuit against him. The fundraiser was later brought back online and has raised over $457,000 towards its goal of $500,000 at the time of writing.As new claims, responses and court requests continue to emerge, many people have struggled to trace the story.
Here’s a full look at how the Bricks & Minifigs and Reckless Ben controversy unfolded and where things stand now.
The missing Star Wars LEGO set
The story begins with Brian Mansell and his 80-year-old father. They said they placed the valuable Star Wars LEGO set, worth about $200,000, in a Bricks & Minifigs warehouse in Salem-Keizer, Oregon.According to the family, the agreement allowed the store to sell the collections while receiving a 35% commission.
Ownership of the collection will remain with the Mansell family until each piece is sold. They also said the set should have been returned if the deal expired before all the items were purchased.In November 2024, the store’s ownership changed. Former franchise operators Crystal Gorman and Robert Gorman later claimed that they had informed the incoming operator of the Mansell Group and that he had agreed to take responsibility for it.The Mansell family terminated the agreement later that month, saying payments had been missed and they were not allowed to inspect the remaining collections. They claim the set was never returned.Bricks & Minifigs later stated in May 2026 that the company was not part of the shipping agreement and was not responsible for the obligations associated with it.
Reckless Ben begins investigating
After learning about the Mansell family’s claims, Reckless Ben began posting investigative videos about the missing group.
He said the LEGO sets had not been returned to their owners, while police were reportedly treating the matter as a civil dispute.As his investigation continued, the videos expanded beyond the group itself and looked at people connected to the case and the wider company. Ben also pulled off several attention-grabbing stunts, including setting up a fake competing company.The videos quickly attracted millions of views and attracted significant public interest in the dispute.On May 30, 2026, Ben released another video showing his attempts to contact Joshua Johnson, a Bricks & Minifigs employee and Salem-Keizer store franchisee, regarding legal matters.The same video revealed that Ben and another member of his team had been arrested and that police had executed a court-approved search warrant in relation to the case.Penn claimed that Johnson’s relationship with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints may have influenced how the situation was handled.
However, the American Fork Police Department rejected those claims. The department said officers were responding to several complaints from Johnson and his family and alleged that Penn continued to contact Johnson, photograph his home, and place signs near the property after warning him.
The lawsuit and the company’s response
As interest in the case grew, Bricks & Minifigs CEO Ammon McNeff became more publicly involved.On June 1, leaked body camera footage showed McNiff accusing Reckless Ben of trying to “blackmail” the company.
It was also claimed that Ben and the Mansell family were working together against Bricks & Minifigs. Penn denied the accusations and said his work was a legitimate investigation.A day later, on June 2, Bricks & Minifigs filed a lawsuit against Reckless Ben, Bryan Mansell, and others in connection with the controversy.According to court filings, the company alleged that the defendants engaged in a coordinated campaign that included false accusations, fabricated claims, deceptive acts, and organized confrontations intended to harm the company’s reputation and business interests.The people named in the lawsuit have disputed the allegations.
Store closing and GoFundMe back
On June 4, Bricks & Minifigs announced that its Salem-Keizer store would be closing permanently. The company also confirmed it had parted ways with franchise owners Brandon Best and Joshua Johnson, saying the business had been affected by what it described as a damaging social media campaign.New court documents surfaced on June 9, showing that Bricks & Minifigs has officially filed its lawsuit against Reckless Ben and the Mansell family.
Documents indicated that both parties could be notified via email and that a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for June 30.Later that day, Reckless Ben uploaded a video titled “My Last Message”. He said in the video that the third episode of the Bricks & Minifigs series has been completed but cannot be released.“I can’t publish it, otherwise I’ll go to jail,” Ben said.He also claimed that legal restrictions prevented him from discussing parts of the case, and said he was not given a chance to fully present his side before those restrictions were imposed.Ben also revealed that a 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 “Fundraiser not found” message. At the time of writing, neither Bryan Mansell nor Reckless Ben has issued any additional public response following the recovery of the fundraiser.