Reinhold O. Schmidt

Reinhold Oscar Albert Schmidt (1897–1974), a U.S. national from Nebraska, was a grain buyer and farmer who gained notoriety as a UFO contactee in 1957. On November 5 near Kearney, Nebraska, he claimed to encounter a blimp-shaped craft, boarded by human-like beings speaking 'High German' who said they were from Venus (later Saturn). He reported multiple contacts, including in Tulsa (1958) and Mojave (1958), where they revealed advanced technology and mineral deposits. Schmidt lectured with contactees Wayne Sulo Aho and John Otto, publishing 'Edge of Tomorrow' (1958). Relocating to Bakersfield, CA, he defrauded elderly women of over $30,000 promising 'free energy crystals' from alien tips, leading to a 1961 grand theft conviction; Carl Sagan testified against him. Sentenced to 1-10 years, he died in Nebraska post-release.