Antonio Villas Boas

Antônio Vilas-Boas (1934–1991) was a Brazilian farmer who later became a lawyer and is known for reporting one of the earliest and most detailed alien abduction cases in modern history. Born in Brazil in 1934, he worked as a farmer at the time of his reported abduction and subsequently pursued a career in law before his death in 1991.

On October 15, 1957, Vilas-Boas claimed he was taken aboard a craft by humanoid beings while working in his fields near São Francisco de Sales, Minas Gerais, at the age of 23. He reported seeing a red light in the night sky while ploughing fields and described the craft as egg-shaped with a spinning top and three legs. He claimed to be seized by five-foot-tall humanoids wearing overalls and helmets, and reported being subjected to a medical examination and forced into sexual intercourse with a female entity. Following the incident, he experienced physical symptoms including nausea, weakness, headaches, and skin lesions.

The case was thoroughly investigated and documented by prominent figures in UFO research. Journalist José Martins first heard Vilas-Boas' account after placing a newspaper advertisement seeking UFO witnesses. Dr. Olavo Fontes of the National School of Medicine of Brazil examined Vilas-Boas and concluded he had been exposed to radiation and was suffering from mild radiation sickness. Vilas-Boas was able to recall every detail of his experience without requiring hypnotic regression, and the case received slow-burn media attention over several years.

The Vilas-Boas case predated the better-known Betty and Barney Hill abduction by four years (1957 vs. 1961) and established many recurring elements found in later abduction reports. Though some skeptics consider the account a hoax, Vilas-Boas reportedly maintained his story throughout his life.