Reckless Ben and Lego reseller reach truce in theft lawsuit
Popular YouTuber Ben Schneider, who is better known online as Reckless Ben, and Lego reseller Bricks & Minifigs have agreed to hit pause on their increasingly messy legal battle. The two sides have now agreed to mediation, potentially avoiding a full-blown courtroom showdown over a viral series that accused a Bricks & Minifigs franchise of stealing a valuable Star Wars Lego collection. Here is everything we know about the saga.
How the Lego feud started
The dispute traces back to a series of videos published by Reckless Ben. In the videos, Schneider alleged that a large Star Wars Lego collection left on consignment with a Bricks & Minifigs franchise in Oregon had effectively been stolen. The videos exploded online and were amplified by other creators, turning what might have been a local business dispute into internet-wide drama.
Bricks & Minifigs eventually fired back with a lawsuit, accusing Schneider and others involved in the videos of defamation, conspiracy, stalking, trespassing, business disparagement, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The lawsuit nearly silenced the series. Earlier in the case, a Utah judge issued temporary orders requiring Schneider to remove videos connected to the dispute and prohibiting him from publishing additional content about the controversy. The order was controversial because Schneider had not yet formally presented his arguments before the court. Now, both sides appear to have reached a temporary compromise.
What the new agreement changes
Under the proposed agreement, Schneider has agreed that neither he nor anyone working with him will threaten Bricks & Minifigs or its owners, publish personal contact information, trespass on company property, engage in stalking or property destruction, or come within 100 yards of company offices, stores, or owners. The agreement also restricts the YouTuber from impersonating individuals to obtain signatures or recordings and soliciting employees for confidential information.
But there is one major difference from the earlier restrictions. The agreement specifically states that Schneider may still publish lawful opinions, criticism, satire, and commentary about the case.
More legal trouble is still looming
The mediation agreement does not mean the conflict is over. Court filings show Schneider disputes the allegations made against him and plans to file claims of his own against Bricks & Minifigs. For now, the scheduled court hearing has been canceled while both sides attempt mediation. Whether that process leads to peace or simply delays the next chapter remains to be seen.
Separately, Schneider is also facing criminal charges tied to incidents that occurred while making the videos. Those charges include stalking, targeted residential picketing, disorderly conduct, and trespassing.
Some of those allegations stem from attempts to locate and serve legal papers connected to the original Oregon dispute, while others relate to visits to Bricks & Minifigs corporate offices. Schneider has also posted videos criticizing the American Fork Police Department and alleging constitutional violations during his interactions with police officers.
Source: KSL.com
