YouTuber Flees to Mexico After Criminal Charges in Lego Dispute

A California YouTuber known as Reckless Ben left the United States for Mexico after criminal charges were filed in a dispute over a $200,000 Star Wars Lego collection. The case began as a business disagreement and expanded into online campaigns, legal actions, and reported threats against multiple parties.

Benjamin Paul Schneider, known online as Reckless Ben, accused Bricks & Minifigs of improperly taking possession of the collection under a consignment agreement first arranged in 2023. The agreement involved a store in Keizer, Oregon, and later involved new management after the company terminated the original franchise agreement in late 2024.

Ben produced multiple videos confronting store owners, traveling to the company’s Utah headquarters, and publishing police body-camera footage. The company said stores across the country received threats and harassment as a result. One location, BAM Pocket Sacramento, announced it would close for one week starting Saturday.

A general manager told CBS Sacramento that employees and family members had been targeted and that the store was not involved in the original dispute.

Authorities issued a gag order, civil lawsuits, and a search warrant against Schneider. He stated that a subsequent no-bail arrest warrant prompted his departure to Mexico. In a June 1 video, Schneider said some of the best lawyers in the United States are reaching out to him and that he has requested body-camera footage.

He also said he has received death threats. A GoFundMe campaign associated with the case has raised more than $489,000 to assist the original consignment holders and cover legal expenses.