William Pawelec

Background

William Pawelec was a U.S. Air Force computer operations and programming specialist with credentials in security technologies and access control systems. Throughout his career, he worked on classified government projects and served as a security consultant for both military and private contractors, giving him access to highly classified information.

UFO Claims and Disclosure Project

In 2000–2001, Pawelec was interviewed by Dr. Steven Greer of CSETI (Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence) for the Disclosure Project, a groundbreaking initiative to document testimony from government and military insiders about UFO knowledge. Recognizing the risks of public disclosure, Pawelec stipulated that his video testimony remain sealed until after his death. He passed away on May 22, 2007, and permission to release his testimony was granted in December 2010—nearly a year after his death, when his widow Annie DeRiso found a letter authorizing its release.

Claimed Facility Observations

According to his widow's account, Pawelec claimed to have been taken to an underground facility beneath Nevada's Tonopah Test Range, where he witnessed a saucer-shaped extraterrestrial craft undergoing reverse-engineering. The facility allegedly contained multiple underground levels accessed by an elevator system. The craft he described reportedly matched the specifications of the Testors model kit "Area S4 UFO Revealed," suggesting detailed knowledge of classified aerospace programs.

Technology and Security Concerns

Beyond his UFO knowledge, Pawelec's most significant claims involved advanced technology development. He claimed to have worked on RFID (radio-frequency identification) microchip technology alongside colleagues, and that when they discovered the technology was being developed for mass surveillance and control purposes, authorities confiscated the research. DeRiso stated that two of Pawelec's associates were subsequently assassinated, and that he lived in fear of retaliation. He had remained silent about his knowledge until meeting DeRiso and learning of her UFO community connections.

Death and Circumstances

Pawelec died of cancer in May 2007. His widow and friends—including professional remote viewers—have expressed suspicion that his death may not have been from natural causes, particularly given the timing: his cancer accelerated just as he began discussing publicly what he knew. While these claims of foul play remain unverified, they fit a pattern of concern common among UAP whistleblowers during the post-Cold War period.