Reckless Ben's GoFundMe disappears after raising $450,000 for 'stolen' LEGO
If you've been keeping up with the story of Ben "Reckless Ben" Schneider, you'll know that what started as an investigation on YouTube has since exploded into something much bigger.
Things can all be traced back to a rare lot of 780 LEGO Star Wars sets, said to be worth $200,000. Bryan Mansell consigned the sets to a Bricks & Minifigs franchise in Keizer, Oregon, back in 2023, but little did he know the drama it was about to cause.
When the franchise changed hands, the consignment fell into dispute, with the Bricks & Minifigs' CEO claiming the agreement is banned under franchise rules and only a fraction of the missing sets could be recovered.
This complicated Reckless Ben timeline of 'Mormon Mafia', leaked police bodycam footage, accusations of bomb threats, and ongoing lawsuits has culminated in a GoFundMe seemingly being pulled.
Reckless Ben GoFundMe vanishes
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Using the Wayback Machine, you can see the final snapshot of the GoFundMe campaign titled "Help Bryan Recover His Stolen LEGO Collection". Having raised a jaw-dropping $454,151, the GoFundMe vowed to give the money to Mansell and his elderly father, Ed. Ed Mansell had been collecting LEGO Star Wars sets since they first arrived on the scene at the start of the noughties, and if you've taken a scan of second-hand sites like eBay, you'll know even sets from a few years ago can fetch a not-so-small fortune.
In the description, Schneider's GoFundMe said: "This fundraiser is to help Bryan and his father recover their collection or the value of it and cover legal costs. If you can help in any way — even just sharing the story — it means a lot to their family.
“Your support can make a real difference in helping them seek justice and reclaim what’s rightfully theirs."
Now, everything has gone dark, with questions about what happens to the $450,000 already raised.
Typically, funds are still transferred to the linked bank account if the organizer themself deleted the GoFundMe, although a response from Schneider suggests this might not be the case. The OP appeared to reply to one concerned onlooker, adding: "They took down Bryan's GoFundMe :( I wish I could talk about it but I'll go to jail if I do."
Reckless Ben's ominous 'final' YouTube message
All of this comes shortly after Schneider posted his 'final' video on the matter. Although he'd promised a third part of his exposé, a June 9 video reiterated: "I can't post it, or I will go to jail. And not only that, I will also immediately lose my lawsuit of $300,000 and the GoFundMe we made for Bryan will go straight to this mystery company that I am no longer allowed to talk about."
As for the GoFundMe debacle, it follows Bricks & Minifigs filing a May 29 complaint with Patreon. Citing a temporary restraining order against Schneider as grounds to remove his account.
Patreon CEO Jack Conte stood by Schneider and said that if BAM had a problem with this, it could sue his company directly. Even though Patreon remains Reckless Ben's main revenue stream, the fact he's vowed not to discuss things further suggests it could also go dark for the time being.
In terms of the $450,000 that now appears to be in limbo, it depends on whether GoFundMe's Trust & Safety team decided to forcibly take down the page, or it was frozen due to the ongoing legal proceedings. Unfortunately, with Schneider going quiet on the matter, we might not get our answer anytime soon.