Joel Schectman

Joel Schectman is an American journalist known for his investigative reporting on U.S. government disinformation campaigns related to UFOs. Alongside Aruna Viswanatha, he co-authored a Wall Street Journal exposé revealing how the Pentagon, particularly the U.S. Air Force, systematically disseminated false information about UFO sightings to mislead the public and obscure genuine investigations. This work highlighted historical practices from the late 1940s onward, including efforts during Project Sign, Grudge, and Blue Book, where over 12,000 reports were collected, with about 700 remaining unexplained. Schectman's reporting underscores ongoing transparency issues in military UFO programs.