Reckless Ben, Lego Company Reach Truce in Civil Lawsuit
A Utah Lego reseller and the YouTuber it sued for defamation have agreed to mediate their case rather than fight it out in open court.
The deal lifts a restriction that had barred Ben Schneider, known online as Reckless Ben, from posting any more videos about the dispute.
What the Two Sides Actually Agreed To
Bricks & Minifigs and Schneider submitted a joint agreement to Utah County courts to mediate their civil lawsuit, according to KSL's reporting on the filing.
The agreement reverses a restriction that had prevented Schneider from posting further videos in what he calls his Lego-theft investigation series, and cancels a hearing where a judge would have decided whether to make the original restraining order permanent.
Schneider agreed not to make threats against Bricks & Minifigs, engage in property destruction, stalking or trespassing, publish personal contact information, or go within 100 yards of company representatives — but the new terms explicitly allow him to comment on the lawsuit and publish "opinions, criticism, satire and/or commentary" through lawful means.
📰 Related: GTA 6 Cover Art Revealed, Pre-Orders Open June 25
How a Lego Collection Turned Into Two Lawsuits
The dispute traces back to 2023, when 56-year-old Ed Mansell consigned a Star Wars Lego collection, built over two decades into roughly 780 sealed sets and 1,200 minifigures, to a Bricks & Minifigs franchise in Keizer, Oregon.
Ownership of that franchise changed hands in November 2024. Mansell's son, Bryan, says the new operators refused to return unsold inventory or honor the original consignment agreement.
Schneider got involved after Bryan Mansell brought the dispute public via a podcast in 2025, eventually traveling to Utah to confront the new franchise owners and attempt to serve legal papers — an effort that led to his arrest on stalking and trespassing-related misdemeanor charges, which remain separate from the civil case now moving toward mediation.
📰 Related: 'Gilmore Girls' Officially Leaving Netflix in July, Heading to Prime Video
The Company's Side of the Numbers
Bricks & Minifigs has disputed the scale of what's actually owed, not just who's responsible for it.
The company has said the collection's "realistic high-end value" sits closer to $95,000 to $100,000, far below the $200,000 to $278,000 figure that has circulated in Schneider's videos and a GoFundMe campaign that has since raised more than $445,000 for the Mansell family's legal trust.
CEO Ammon McNeff has said the company is prepared to return any inventory that can be verified as belonging to the Mansell family, compensate for anything that can't be located, and has offered to drop its own lawsuit against Bryan Mansell specifically, separate from the case against Schneider.
📰 Related: Tyra Banks Netflix Lawsuit Trends Again as Reality TV Production Practices Face Renewed Scrutiny
What's Still Unresolved
Mediation settles how the case proceeds. It doesn't settle who actually owns what's left of the collection.
A consignment agreement keeps legal title with the original owner until each item sells, which means the dispute has always centered on the portion of Mansell's sets that were never sold and never returned, sitting on top of a franchise ownership change that complicated who was responsible for tracking them.
Bricks & Minifigs corporate has separately filed a RICO lawsuit naming Schneider, Bryan Mansell, and others, alleging a coordinated harassment and extortion campaign — allegations Schneider disputes and that no court has yet adjudicated.
Where This Leaves Reckless Ben
As of his most recent video, Schneider told viewers he could not release the next part of his investigation series or name the company involved, citing the now-lifted restriction.
The mediation agreement changes that going forward, giving Schneider room to resume commentary on the case while the underlying ownership dispute and RICO allegations continue working through the courts separately.
Key Takeaways
- Bricks & Minifigs and YouTuber Ben Schneider ("Reckless Ben") have agreed to mediate their civil defamation lawsuit in Utah County courts.
- The deal lifts a restriction that had barred Schneider from posting further videos about the dispute.
- The case stems from a Star Wars Lego collection, valued between $95,000 and $278,000 depending on whose figure is used, consigned by the Mansell family.
- Schneider faces separate criminal misdemeanor charges for stalking and trespassing tied to his investigation.
- Bricks & Minifigs has separately filed a RICO lawsuit against Schneider and Bryan Mansell, alleging extortion and harassment — claims that remain unproven.
Sources
Also Read
You might also like
Culture & Entertainment Reporter
Marcus Webb writes about music, film, TV, and digital culture. He tracks the trends shaping entertainment and the creators driving them.
