I have been researching UFOs for many years, delving deep into the underbelly of UFO lore, and one name seems to frequently pop up. His name is Richard Doty, and in the 1980s he was a special agent for the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He claims that while he was there he was tasked with hoaxing documents and feeding false information to UFO researchers. The Air Force refuses to comment on whether they knew of his activities and whether his claims of partaking in this activity at the behest of his superiors is accurate.
It wouldn't be so bad if his stories of UFO crashes and secret UFO management groups, such as the fabled MJ-12, were not the subject of a large amount of books, movies, video games, television shows, and who knows what else. He says he even acted as a consultant for The X-Files, which is one of the very few tall tales of his that might actually be true.
Doty's story has changed over the years, and some of the details of the stories are conflicting. In frustration with this whole situation, I decided to send the Air Force Freedom of information Act (FOIA) requests to find out more. I also wanted an official response regarding whether he was ordered to create these hoaxed documents.
At first the AFOSI Public Affairs Chief was very helpful. She expedited my request, and I received some very interesting documents. I was told that when my FOIA request was fulfilled, she would help me find someone I could talk to for an official statement. However, once I got the documents, she would no longer talk to me.
What was in the documents was very interesting and corroborated some of the legend around the Doty affair. The story begins with a man named Paul Bennewitz, who owned a humidity equipment company with contracts with Kirtland AFB. His house and office were near Kirtland, and he believed he was seeing UFOs over a part of the base that housed nuclear weapons. He also believed he was receiving transmissions from the aliens that flew those UFOs. Surprisingly, the Air Force humored him. They sent out Doty and an officer to investigate, but AFOSI decided that further investigation was unwarranted.
A few days later, Bennewitz was allowed to present his evidence to some of the officers and scientists at the base. He wanted a grant to conduct more research, and one of the scientists said he would help Bennewitz fill out the paperwork for the grant.
The documents also state that two U.S. senators from New Mexico had called or shown up at Kirtland to check on AFOSI's investigation of Bennewitz and his E.T. contacts. Apparently, Bennewitz had sought their help. Both times the senators were told there was no investigation.
Doty claims what the senators were told was not true. Doty says he was told to make Bennewitz believe there was an impending alien invasion because Bennewitz was actually observing secret Air Force projects. According to Doty, the Air Force wanted to discredit Bennewitz so no one would figure that out. However, Doty claims that in doing so, he created hoaxed documents that were given to Bennewitz and other UFO researchers, and that he broke into Bennewitz's house and office, some if not all of which is illegal.
I have been able to confirm that Doty did give Bennewitz documents that would make him believe he was under investigation, even though Doty told both senators that this was not the case. Bennewitz eventually checked into a mental health facility due to paranoia. Doty was successful, and Bennewtiz was convinced of the immanent alien invasion. This entire affair is incredibly unscrupulous, and Doty claims he did it all under orders. Doty is now a sergeant with the New Mexico State Police in Grants.
I think the Air Force needs to respond to Doty's claims. I have drafted a letter that I sent to the Air Force asking for a response. I have yet to receive one. I have posted this letter online along with extensive references to my sources and the FOIA documents I received. Take a look and let me know if you agree that the Air Force needs to address this situation once and for all.
To read the documents and watch a documentary with interviews with Doty, visit OpenMinds.tv.