Evidence that U.S. space agency NASA has defrauded U.S. taxpayers for billions of dollars could scrap NASA’s case against UK hacker Gary McKinnon. Credible witnesses have claimed that NASA has altered or destroyed its photos containing images of UFOs. This could become a legal and public relations nightmare for NASA.

The space agency is attempting to prosecute McKinnon for hacking into NASA computer files. McKinnon has stated that he saw UFO-related files in NASA’s computers. But NASA has denied any “cover-up”.

NASA’s claim of innocence faces a serious challenge. Some of the whistleblowers are former NASA employees and contractors with inside knowledge of NASA’s operation. If NASA’s destruction of public property is confirmed, the alleged cost of McKinnon’s hacking would be insignificant compared to NASA’s annual funding of more than $17 billion. Even worse, NASA’s year 2000 mission statement boasted that it is “ethical and honest” in all that they do.

Part of NASA's mission is to look for signs of intelligent life in outer space. So asking for more money to 'look', after they've already destroyed evidence that they 'found', is a not going to be easy.

Among these whistleblowers are US Air Force Sergeant Karl Wolfe, former NASA employee Donna Hare, and former NASA engineer John Schuessler. Wolfe and Hare exposed some of NASA’s misdeeds at the May 9, 2001 Disclosure Project press conference in Washington, D.C. They both offered to give similar testimony before the U.S. Congress.

According to the Disclosure Project:

Donna Hare had a secret clearance while working for NASA contractor, Philco Ford. She testifies that she was shown a photo of a picture with a distinct UFO. Her colleague explained that it was his job to airbrush such evidence of UFOs out of photographs before they were released to the public. She also heard information from other Johnson Space Center employees that some astronauts had seen extraterrestrial craft and that when some of them wanted to speak out about this they were threatened.” [See Hare’s testimony at 100:10 minutes into the May 9, 2001 Disclosure Project press conference.

“Sergeant Karl Wolfe was in the Air Force for 4 and 1/2 years beginning in January 1964. He had a top-secret crypto clearance and worked with the tactical air command at Langley AFB in Virginia. While working at a NSA [National Security Agency] facility he was shown photographs taken by the Lunar Orbiter of the moon that showed detailed artificial structures. These photos were taken prior to the Apollo landing in 1969. [See Wolfe’s testimony at 57:50 minutes into the May 9, 2001 Disclosure Project press conference.

John Schuessler is a Denver area resident and retired aerospace engineer from Lockheed Martin. He worked at NASA on nearly every manned U.S. space flight since its inception. In a March 19, 2008 lecture in Lakewood, CO, Schuessler talked about seeing an unfamiliar photo from one of the Apollo moon landings. Schuessler said:

“I went to a conference in Canada, in Toronto. I think it was [19]82. A guy came up to me and said ‘I’ve got this NASA photo. Do you recognize this?’ And it was an Apollo shot. And it was an official lithograph that they release. I’ve got hundreds of these lithographs.

I didn’t have that one. And they are all numbered. They have a photograph number on them and on the back of them is printed the information about what it is. This photograph had a UFO in the background.

So as soon as I got back to Houston I went to the photo lab and told them I’d like to look at the Apollo photos. And we’re old friends you know, so they said ‘sure here’s the rack of them.’

So I went down through the rack of the Apollo photos and the numbers sequentially. And I got to a series of numbers, that this one was in the middle of, and there were no photos. They were all missing. And I said ‘well where are these photos?’ He said, ‘well it’s like all these others, the film was bad.’ And I had seen the thing first hand with the NASA printing on it so I know it came out. But it was withdrawn.”

Schuessler was also the co-founder of MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) International and its past Director. It was Schuessler’s story of the missing NASA UFO photo that was largely responsible for inspiring the ballot initiative to create an Extraterrestrial Affairs Commission in Denver.

NASA seems intent on making an example of UK hacker Gary McKinnon. In the end, the public might be intent on making an example of NASA. After all, how can NASA keep getting $17 billion a year during an economic crisis after taxpayers find out NASA has been lying to them for decades and squandering their hard-earned money? The legal experts should ask, “is it a crime for someone to hack into a government agency that is committing a much bigger crime?”

There's talk that McKinnon might serve up to 60-70 years in prison if found guilty. So what is the maximum sentence for NASA officials if found guilty of defrauding taxpayers? On Jan. 20, an UK judge is expected to make a final decision on McKinnon’s extradition to the U.S. That gives NASA less than one week to avoid a collision with reality.