Celebrity3 min(s) read
Published 15:04 04 Jun 2026 GMT
What began as an effort to recover a reported $200,000 collection of missing Star Wars LEGO sets has grown into one of the internet's most talked-about controversies of 2026, pulling YouTuber Ben "Reckless Ben" Schneider, Bricks & Minifigs, and the American Fork Police Department into a complex legal and public relations battle.
The dispute stems from a consignment of Star Wars LEGO sets belonging to Bryan Mansell, who - according to the Salt Lake Tribune - handed over the collection to an Oregon franchise of Bricks & Minifigs.
Mansell was said to be attempting to raise money for medical care for his elderly father, but questions emerged after the franchise owners announced plans to sell the business. According to Bricks & Minifigs CEO Ammon McNeff, the original consignment agreement had been terminated.
Public frustration in Keizer, Oregon, grew as the situation unfolded, eventually attracting the attention of Schneider. Known online as Reckless Ben, the YouTuber launched his own investigation into the missing sets, using unconventional tactics that included lottery-style raffles, fake rival businesses, and an attempt to serve legal papers to franchise owner Joshua Johnson using someone dressed as a UPS delivery driver.
The story gained further attention after Schneider claimed in a YouTube video that he had been arrested twice by the American Fork Police Department. He alleged that officers searched his vehicles, jailed him for multiple days, and that one officer dislocated his shoulder.
Now, unredacted bodycam footage from the American Fork Police Department has surfaced online through an Internet Archive collection. The footage includes interviews with Johnson, Schneider's arrest, and other interactions connected to the case. Some audio is missing because officers were able to self-mute their body cameras.
One clip shows Johnson speaking by phone with McNeff, who claims Schneider threatened to "kill" a Bricks & Minifigs manager. McNeff also stated there was an open case involving the YouTuber.
Another video reportedly shows Schneider's second arrest on March 11 after officers arrived at an Airbnb where he was staying with a judge-approved warrant.
In the footage, Schneider and others can be seen leaving the property before an officer approaches and grabs him by the arm, saying: "No, no, no, no, no. Don't. Don't move like that. You understand me? Don't move like that."
Later in the video, another officer states: "Some of you may end up going to jail. Some of you may end up getting released. We'll see what happens."
Viewers commenting on the footage have raised concerns about police conduct, particularly after an officer allegedly referenced knowing the Airbnb owner.
On May 30, Bricks & Minifigs filed a lawsuit accusing Schneider, Mansell, and others of carrying out a campaign of harassment and extortion targeting franchise owners in Utah and Oregon.
The controversy has also expanded beyond those directly involved. Patreon CEO Jack Conte said the crowdfunding platform was served with a legal notice from Bricks & Minifigs requesting the shutdown of a campaign supporting Schneider.
Schneider has not yet publicly responded to the release of the bodycam footage. With legal action ongoing and new material continuing to emerge online, the dispute shows little sign of slowing down.
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