Bricks & Minifigs announced on June 4 that it has permanently closed the Salem, Oregon store and reached a “mutual agreement” to part ways with franchise owners Brandon Best and Joshua Johnson. That is a massive shift. These were the post-transition operators at the center of the public anger, and BAM is now distancing itself from them.
BAM says its investigation found “significant evidence of gross negligence” in how the store had previously been operated, plus “operational gaps” during the transition and document-recovery process. It also says Johnson and Best were “not aware of, nor prepared for” the responsibility of taking over a store that needed forensic accounting review. That is corporate-speak, but the plain-English read is ugly: BAM is now admitting the handoff was a mess.
The harsh read: they are trying to make Best and Johnson disposable now that the scandal has become radioactive.
BAM Is Now Offering To Make Bryan Mansell Whole
This is the biggest substantive development. BAM says Ammon McNeff has personally reached out to Bryan Mansell and is prepared to sit down, review spreadsheets and POS data, return any remaining Star Wars LEGO in the Salem store, and compensate Mansell for anything unaccounted for. McNeff’s quote in the June 4 release says BAM is prepared to discuss dropping the lawsuit against Mansell and “ensure you are made whole monetarily.”
Brick Fanatics reported the same thing: BAM has offered Mansell “whatever Star Wars LEGO remains” in the closed Salem store, plus compensation for unaccounted-for items. It also notes the situation remains unresolved at the time of writing.
My read: this is the first real sign BAM understands the public pressure worked. But it still feels like they are trying to control the process. They are offering a sit-down, document review, possible lawsuit drop, and compensation. That is not the same thing as a completed settlement or immediate check.
BAM Is Still Blaming Chrystal Law-Gorman
BAM’s new position is not “we were wrong.” It is more like: the former owner created the mess, hid records, underreported sales, and left the new operators unprepared.
In its June 4 release, BAM says Chrystal Law/Gorman entered into an unauthorized consignment deal, never formally introduced Mansell to corporate or the incoming franchisees, and kept multiple versions of the collection records. BAM claims its internal POS data shows more than $52,000, possibly more, was sold from the collection during Law/Gorman’s tenure, which BAM says is more than she reported.
Salem Business Journal also covered the new records. BAM provided screenshots of three tracking records with different totals, plus a 26-page POS document showing $61,430.63 in Star Wars Lot sales. BAM says more than $52,000 in POS transactions matched Mansell’s list after reconciliation, but SBJ says it has not reviewed the full item-by-item reconciliation. That caveat matters a lot.
Chrystal Law-Gorman disputes BAM’s timeline and says she has not reviewed the POS document. She also warns that the POS records may include Star Wars items outside Bryan’s collection or items held on layaway.
So the key unresolved question is still: which sales were actually Mansell’s items, who got the money, and who is legally responsible for anything missing?
The $200K Number Is Now Under Attack
BAM is also trying to deflate the public narrative by challenging the $200,000 figure. Its June 4 release says the collection was more accurately valued around $95,000 to $100,000, and claims the $200,000 figure was promotional rather than documented.
Salem Business Journal says screenshots it reviewed show high-end estimates between $82,875 and $98,480, not $200,000, though SBJ is clear that this does not settle the collection’s ultimate value.
This is a meaningful update, but it does not erase the core scandal. Even if the collection was “only” worth $95k to $100k, that is still a devastating amount of property for a family. It also does not answer who had what, what sold, what remained, and why this wasn’t fixed earlier.
The GoFundMe Has Exploded
BAM’s June 4 statement says the GoFundMe for Bryan Mansell had raised over $350,000 as of June 3. Brick Fanatics later reported the fundraiser had raised more than $400,000 to cover the collection value and legal costs.
That is huge. The public has effectively done what BAM should have done early: make sure the family is not left holding the entire loss.
But BAM including the GoFundMe total in its corporate statement is also getting roasted online because it reads like, “Look, he already got money.” That is terrible optics. Public donations do not erase the original responsibility question.
The Bodycam Leak Changed The Temperature Again
Unredacted American Fork police bodycam footage reportedly leaked online after users claimed police accidentally shared a public Dropbox link. Dexerto reports the unredacted footage shows Bricks & Minifigs CEO Ammon McNeff accusing Reckless Ben of extortion and collusion, and also accusing Ben and others of harassment, fraud, threats, fake contracts, forged signatures, and threatening to kill a manager. Dexerto notes that some of those claims remain unverified.
Times of India also reports that newly released bodycam footage shows Johnson and McNeff accusing Ben of stalking, while Ben argues he was attempting lawful process service.
That footage is bad for BAM in two ways. First, it makes McNeff look personally involved in pushing the “Ben is the criminal” narrative. Second, it reinforces the public view that American Fork police were hearing and acting on the Bricks & Minifigs side of the story very aggressively.
Reports Say McNeff Was Calling Police Departments
Dexerto reported that another bodycam segment includes law enforcement discussing the situation by phone and relaying similar allegations from McNeff. The article says the caller stated McNeff had phoned several police departments in the area about the situation and urged action.
That is a major new reputational problem. It feeds the exact public suspicion people already had: that BAM leadership was not just passively relying on police, but actively pushing law enforcement narratives against Ben.
To be careful: this still needs the full underlying footage and reports. But as a public optics issue, it is gasoline on the fire.
The Airbnb Search Still Looks Terrible
American Fork police say the Airbnb owner reported hearing people inside discussing possible stolen LEGO toys, which became part of the search warrant request. Dexerto reports the warrant authorized police to search for “any stolen merchandise, specifically Lego merchandise.” But the return reportedly says: “Benjamin Schneider was arrested. No items seized.”
That is still brutal.
The whole controversy is about Mansell’s LEGO allegedly being mishandled by the Bricks & Minifigs side. Then police search Ben’s Airbnb for stolen LEGO and find nothing. Even if the warrant was technically approved, the optics are awful.
American Fork Police Are Still Defending The Arrests
American Fork Citizen reports that Ben faces misdemeanor charges of stalking, targeted residential picketing, disorderly conduct, and criminal trespass. Police say Johnson contacted them four times between March 8 and March 11, reporting escalating harassment. Police also say Johnson reported that he was “going to shoot someone” due to the ongoing harassment, which is an insane detail that still deserves more scrutiny.
Police say their job was not to referee the Oregon LEGO dispute, but to respond to conduct in American Fork. Chief Cameron Paul said financial grievances do not exempt someone from harassment, trespass, stalking, or other Utah law.
That is their cleanest argument. But it does not erase the red flags: the stop-sign dispute, the drug search that found nothing, the process-service mess, the phone seizure, the Airbnb warrant, and Johnson being treated as the protected party after allegedly making a shooting-related statement.
The Legal Fight Is Now On Multiple Tracks
There are now several separate legal tracks:
BAM’s Utah lawsuit accuses Schneider, Mansell and others of a campaign involving alleged defamation, harassment, trespass, intimidation, and business interference. Salem Business Journal says a temporary restraining order was issued May 28, but it does not decide who owes Mansell money or inventory. It only addresses the public campaign around the dispute.
Law and Benjamin Gorman have their own complaint against BAM. SBJ says their complaint accuses BAM of wrongfully terminating the franchise, taking control of the store and inventory, failing to provide an accounting, and defaming the former owners. Those claims also remain allegations unless proven in court.
Schneider’s Utah criminal/protective-order situation is also still alive. American Fork Citizen reports a protective order was granted against Schneider on May 20 and that the Fourth District Court case remains active, with Schneider not having entered a plea at that time.
So no, this is not “over.” It has just moved from internet outrage into lawsuits, court filings, public-record fights, and corporate damage control.
Patreon Refused BAM’s Takedown Request
This is another major public-relations hit for BAM. Kotaku reports that Patreon CEO Jack Conte refused to remove Reckless Ben’s Patreon content after a Bricks & Minifigs takedown request. Kotaku says BAM’s lawsuit update included a motion to compel mediation and arbitration on May 27, while the takedown request was issued May 29. Conte publicly said Patreon would keep Ben’s page up.
This matters because it shows BAM’s effort to suppress or legally pressure the content did not work. In fact, it backfired by making Patreon look like the free-speech hero and BAM look like the company trying to shut down criticism.
BAM’s New Timeline Still Doubles Down On “No Consignment”
BAM’s June 4 timeline says the Bricks & Minifigs model has always been “Buy, Sell and Trade” and that third-party consignment was never part of the BAM model, franchise agreement, or operations manual. It also says franchisees are independently owned but bound by agreements and manuals that do not permit third-party consignment.
That remains one of the biggest contested points. Brick Fanatics previously reported seeing an operations-manual excerpt saying stores should “ONLY buy” and “DO NOT lend, loan, consign or pawn,” while also noting Law-Gorman disputes BAM’s account and says corporate knew.
So the current split is still:
BAM says: unauthorized side deal, former owner’s mess, conflicting records, no formal corporate knowledge or approval.
Law/Gorman side says: corporate knew, the transition/seizure created the problem, and BAM has still not provided a full accounting.
Mansell side says: the family’s collection went into the store and they still haven’t been made whole.
The Most Important New Salem Business Journal Takeaway
The most balanced local update is from Salem Business Journal. It says BAM’s new documents may challenge the viral $200K framing, but they do not answer the core question. SBJ says BAM provided screenshots and POS data, but not the full item-by-item reconciliation proving which sales belonged to Mansell. It also says Mansell has not publicly responded to BAM’s latest offer, and the competing lawsuits have not resolved who had legal responsibility after the store changed hands.
That is the key sober update.
Despite all the noise, the central question remains:
What exactly is Bryan Mansell owed, and who is responsible for paying it?
My Read
The latest updates are bad for almost everyone involved, but especially BAM.
BAM is finally acting like it wants resolution, but only after the brand got torched online, Johnson and Best became liabilities, the police-bodycam material started leaking, Patreon refused a takedown request, and the GoFundMe blew past the disputed value of the collection.
The biggest practical update is that BAM now says it will return remaining LEGO, compensate Mansell for unaccounted items, and discuss dropping him from the lawsuit. That is the first concrete sign of a possible resolution.
But BAM is still not accepting broad responsibility. It is shifting blame to Law/Gorman, pointing to conflicting records, challenging the $200K value, and saying the consignment was unauthorized. That may be part of its legal position, but it still looks like damage control after massive pressure.
The American Fork police angle is still a disaster. The leaked/unredacted bodycam reporting reinforces the view that police took Bricks & Minifigs’ claims very seriously while treating Ben’s side as the threat. Whether that becomes a civil-rights case remains to be seen, but the public trust damage is already real.
Bottom line: the story has entered a new phase. BAM is trying to settle the Mansell problem while isolating Best, Johnson and Law/Gorman as the operational failure points. But the police/bodycam leak and McNeff’s recorded accusations have made the public-relations hole much deeper.
