What started as a local dispute between a LEGO collector and a franchise store in Oregon has exploded into one of the strangest, most viral stories of 2026 — complete with arrests, alleged police corruption, a “Mormon Mafia” conspiracy theory, a YouTuber who fled to Mexico, and a GoFundMe that has raised nearly $400,000. Here is everything you need to know, in order.
Who Are the Players?
Bryan Mansell — An Oregon man whose elderly father spent more than two decades carefully assembling a Star Wars LEGO collection of approximately 780 sealed sets and 1,200+ minifigures, valued between $150,000 and $200,000. His father, Ed Mansell, is 83 years old; the collection was reportedly intended to fund his grandchildren’s college education.
Bricks & Minifigs (BAM) — A retail franchise chain founded in 2010, now operating over 300 locations across the United States and Canada. The chain specializes in buying, trading, and selling new and used LEGO products. Acquired in 2018 by brothers Ammon and Matt McNeff; Ammon serves as CEO.
Chrystal Law-Gorman — Former co-owner (with her husband Benjamin Gorman) of the Bricks & Minifigs franchise in Keizer, Oregon (also referred to as the Salem location due to its proximity to both cities).
Brandon Best & Joshua Johnson — The new franchise owners who took over the Keizer store from the Gormans in November 2024.
Reckless Ben (Benjamin Schneider) — A stunt YouTuber who picked up the Mansell story in mid-May 2026 and turned it into a viral phenomenon, publishing five videos that each surpassed one million views.
The Timeline
November 22, 2023 — The Consignment Agreement
Bryan Mansell signed a formal consignment agreement with Chrystal Law-Gorman, the franchise operator of the Bricks & Minifigs store in Keizer, Oregon. The terms were clear: Mansell retained legal ownership of the collection until each set was sold, the store received a 35% commission on gross sales, and the remaining 65% would be paid to the Mansell family in monthly installments.
The store promoted the collection publicly, posting about it on its official Facebook page using the store’s corporate email address and publicizing a display event for the public and press on November 11–12, 2023. Ed Mansell attended the event and was photographed alongside Chrystal with the collection on display.
Throughout 2024 — Sales Begin, Then Problems Emerge
Sets from the collection began selling through the store. Exactly how many sold, and for how much, became a matter of deep dispute — BAM’s investigation later revealed that Law-Gorman allegedly maintained three separate sets of books on the Mansell collection, each with different accounts of what had sold and what the remaining inventory was worth.
November 14, 2024 — Corporate Seizes the Franchise
Bricks & Minifigs corporate issued a Notice of Immediate Termination to the existing franchise owners — the Gormans — and physically repossessed the Salem-Keizer store, citing alleged franchise defaults. According to Chrystal Gorman, she was told to leave the premises immediately under threat of police action, with no prior notice and no compensation for the business she and her husband had built. She has since released her franchising contract publicly, which states that “the franchisee may also offer consignment services” — directly contradicting corporate’s public claim that consignment was prohibited under franchise rules.
On security camera footage from that day, one of the incoming owners — either Best or Johnson — can be heard telling Law-Gorman that he “takes on the business [and] all that consignment.” BAM corporate later argued this statement had no legal force and was not an official agreement.
Brandon Best and Joshua Johnson officially became the new owners of the store.
Late 2024 into Early 2025 — Bryan Mansell Can’t Get His Collection Back
After the ownership change, Bryan Mansell says his attempts to recover the unsold portions of his father’s collection were stonewalled. The new owners reportedly refused to honor the original consignment agreement or return the inventory. Mansell filed a formal complaint with the Marion County District Attorney’s Office in Oregon. A criminal investigation was opened.
Early 2026 — Reckless Ben Gets Involved
YouTuber Benjamin Schneider (Reckless Ben) encountered the Mansell story and decided to investigate. In March 2026, he traveled to American Fork, Utah — where franchise co-owner Joshua Johnson lives — to confront him directly and gather information.
Between March 8 and March 11, Schneider was arrested twice by the American Fork Police Department. Charges included stalking, targeted residential picketing, criminal trespassing, and disorderly conduct. His associates were also detained, though later released. Schneider’s shoulder was allegedly dislocated during one of the arrests. He denied all wrongdoing and claimed he was conducting a legitimate investigation.
Mid-May 2026 — The Story Goes National
Reckless Ben published his first major YouTube video on the Bricks & Minifigs situation in mid-May 2026. Then came the second, third, fourth, and fifth — each surpassing one million views. MoistCr1TiKaL and other major creators amplified the story further.
The video coverage included the allegations against BAM, footage related to the arrests, and a theory that was catnip for the internet: that the franchise owners (Best and Johnson), the corporate leadership of BAM, and officers of the American Fork Police Department were all connected through their membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — and that this network was being used to protect the owners and suppress the investigation. “Mormon Mafia” began trending on X.
Bricks & Minifigs corporate filed a lawsuit against Schneider, Bryan Mansell, and others, alleging they were running a “coordinated viral extortion campaign” against franchise owners in Utah and Oregon.
That same day, an internal crisis management email allegedly sent by BAM corporate to its franchisees was leaked online and read aloud by Schneider in a new video.
May 29–31, 2026 — Corporate Speaks, Police Respond
Bricks & Minifigs CEO Ammon McNeff appeared on the ACOB podcast on May 31 and offered a public apology to the Mansell family, saying the grandfather deserved to be “made whole.” He also said that BAM was “completely willing to sit down and figure out a fair, reality-based way” to resolve the situation — while simultaneously maintaining that the consignment agreement had been unauthorized.
The American Fork Police Department released a formal statement on May 29 pushing back on Schneider’s claims: “Despite claims that have been circulated online, the department is not currently seeking Benjamin Schneider. As of May 29, 2026, there are no active warrants for Mr. Schneider in the State of Utah.” They also released bodycam footage from the arrests — though some of it was redacted at the request of the Utah County Attorney’s Office, which critics found suspicious. Schneider released a video pointing out inconsistencies in the police account.
June 1, 2026 — Reckless Ben Says He Fled to Mexico
Schneider posted a video announcing that a new “no bail” arrest warrant had allegedly been issued against him for undisclosed reasons, and that he had fled the United States to Mexico. His audience largely believed him. Online speculation intensified. “Mormon Mafia” trended harder.
The American Fork PD promptly contradicted his account — but the contradiction itself became part of the story, with many viewers skeptical of the police’s credibility at this point.
June 2, 2026 — Patreon CEO Tells BAM to Stuff It
In a highly unusual move, Patreon CEO Jack Conte publicly refused a corporate takedown request from Bricks & Minifigs targeting Reckless Ben’s Patreon account. Conte told the company on YouTube they could “stuff it,” making clear that Patreon would not remove the creator’s account simply because the subject of his investigation wanted it gone. It was one of the most direct platform-level defenses of an individual creator in recent memory — and it made BAM’s legal strategy look worse.
June 4, 2026 — BAM Closes the Store and Parts Ways With Best and Johnson
On June 4, Bricks & Minifigs released an official statement announcing the permanent closure of the Salem, Oregon store and a “mutual agreement” to part ways with franchise owners Brandon Best and Joshua Johnson. The company cited “a devastating social media campaign” as a key factor.
BAM’s investigation, they said, had uncovered “significant evidence of gross negligence” in how the store was previously operated under Law-Gorman, and “operational gaps” during the ownership transition. They found the three-book accounting discrepancy tied to the Mansell collection.
CEO McNeff again reached out directly to Bryan Mansell, saying the company is prepared to discuss dropping him as a named co-defendant in the BAM vs. Reckless Ben lawsuit if Mansell agrees to meet for an informal resolution.
The GoFundMe, meanwhile, has surpassed $382,000 as of today, with Schneider announcing the funds will be placed in a legal trust for Mansell’s legal fees.
The Key Disputes (Still Unresolved)
Did BAM corporate authorize consignment? BAM says no — their Operations Manual explicitly prohibited it. Law-Gorman’s franchise contract, which she released publicly, says it was permitted. Both documents appear to exist. Courts will have to sort it out.
Who is actually liable for the missing collection? BAM says the fault lies entirely with Law-Gorman, who ran unauthorized side deals. Law-Gorman says she ran the store legitimately and was illegally seized. The new owners say the collection issue predated their ownership. Mansell’s family says they don’t care who’s to blame internally — they want their property or its equivalent value back.
What happened to the collection itself? The most basic question remains unanswered. BAM’s three-book accounting investigation suggests significant confusion or deliberate obfuscation about what sold, when, and for how much. Whether the remaining inventory still exists somewhere is unknown.
Were the arrests legitimate? The American Fork PD says yes — Johnson reported ongoing harassment. Schneider says no — police were being used to suppress his investigation. The bodycam footage, partially redacted, has fueled suspicion on both sides.
Always get everything in writing, including what happens to your property during an ownership transition.
Understand the franchise structure of any business you work with. A franchisee’s promises may not bind the corporate entity.
Document your collection extensively before handing it over — photographs, serial numbers, serial documentation.
Understand your legal options before you need them. Civil small claims courts have limits; high-value collections require formal legal agreements.
As one legal commentator put it: a competent lawyer on either side, at almost any point in this saga, probably changes the outcome significantly.
Where Things Stand Now
The Salem franchise is permanently closed. Best and Johnson are out. BAM is pursuing Reckless Ben in court while simultaneously offering an olive branch to Mansell. Chrystal Law-Gorman is suing BAM for breach of contract. A Marion County DA investigation is ongoing. And Bryan Mansell — an ordinary person who just wanted to sell his father’s LEGO collection — is still waiting to be made whole.
We’ll continue covering this story as it develops.
