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Jim Semivan

Jim Semivan is a former Central Intelligence Agency operations officer and co-founder of To The Stars Academy, a UAP research and media organisation.

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), 1982-2007; To The Stars Academy of Arts & Sciences · Former CIA operations officer (Directorate of Operations); co-founder and Vice President of Operations, To The Stars Academy of Arts & Sciences

Jim Semivan is a former senior official of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).1 Born and raised in Ohio,2 he attended Ohio State University3 before joining the CIA in 1982.4 He served for 25 years as an operations officer within the agency’s Directorate of Operations, working across the United States and internationally,5 retiring in 2007.6 Over a career of multiple overseas and domestic tours and senior management positions at CIA headquarters,7 he recruited high-level operatives, including foreign ambassadors and attaches,8 held a top secret security clearance,9 and received the agency’s Career Intelligence Medal10 along with numerous Exceptional Performance Awards and Meritorious Unit Citations.11 At the time of his retirement he held Senior Executive Service rank, roughly two levels below the CIA director,12 and was a member of the CIA’s Senior Intelligence Service.13 He has also been described as a former CIA national clandestine service executive14 and as a former senior operations officer and trainer for the agency’s Directorate of Clandestine Operations,15 and, in a documentary produced by Tom DeLonge, as a former senior intelligence service officer in the CIA’s Directorate of Operations.16 After leaving the agency, Semivan remained a CIA contractor and stayed connected to agency activities.17

According to Luis Elizondo, Semivan had heard rumblings of a real Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) programme being run out of the Pentagon18 before Harold E. Puthoff introduced him, then a senior CIA figure, to Elizondo’s effort,19 having earlier suggested to Jay Stratton that they meet Semivan at the Pentagon.20 That meeting was, according to Elizondo, the first time his group brought in an outsider,21 and a later meeting in which Elizondo cautioned Semivan about confidentiality marked the first time the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) was referenced to someone outside the team.22 Elizondo has said that Semivan later confided a personal UAP experience from his time as a senior CIA official,23 which Elizondo considered similar to other incidents he was aware of.24 Elizondo has also said that Semivan revealed he was working with a group of former senior military and intelligence officials and a rock star,25 whom Elizondo identified as DeLonge,26 described by Semivan as the lead singer of Blink-182.27 Semivan, together with Stratton, invited Elizondo to a dinner for the programme team held in a hotel in Roslyn, Virginia;28 at the time, the programme Semivan ran was not sharing UAP data with other nations, out of concern for national security.29 Semivan also introduced Elizondo and others to Brazilian general Paulo Roberto Yog de Miranda Uchoa, along with his daughter and personal translator.30 In the autumn of 2009, Elizondo and Semivan attended a meeting with James Lacatski to discuss whether the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP) should drop investigations widely considered paranormal and focus solely on UAP threats.31 Elizondo, Semivan, and John Robert later decided to move the remnants of AATIP away from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and house it within Elizondo’s portfolio of national programs.32 Semivan, a mutual CIA friend of Christopher K. Mellon, brought Elizondo to Mellon’s attention.33 Elizondo has said that Semivan told him it was Semivan who had informed Mellon about AATIP and where to find it,34 and Semivan vouched for Mellon to Elizondo.35

According to Elizondo, Semivan told him that To the Stars Academy of Arts and Science (TTSA) could use his knowledge of the UAP topic and his help setting up security, and encouraged him to meet DeLonge.36 Semivan was one of the organisation’s two co-founders,37 alongside DeLonge,38 and remains on its board as Vice President of Operations.39 To The Stars Academy (TTSA) pursued a triple directive covering UAP science and engineering, educating laymen and journalists, and producing film, television, and publishing content about UAP.40 Jason Samosa has described Semivan as one of the organisation’s advisors.41 Puthoff has said the team involved Mellon, Elizondo, Semivan, Steve Justice, and Puthoff himself.42 Semivan has said that the UAP topic needed to somehow be brought to the public,43 and Elizondo has said that Semivan and his team were working to move the UAP conversation out of government silos and into the hands of the American people.44 Mellon, Puthoff, and Semivan met with Elizondo and journalist Leslie Kean in the lobby of a hotel near the Pentagon,45 a meeting that lasted four hours,46 during which the three urged Elizondo to connect with the media in order to reach the American public on the UAP issue.47 When Elizondo resigned from the Pentagon in 2017, he joined TTSA in part to rejoin Puthoff, Semivan, and Mellon.48

Semivan considers himself an acknowledged experiencer of the UAP phenomenon.49 He has said that he believes there is an entity, some kind of non-human intelligence, living with humanity on Earth,50 and has separately said that he considers there to be a nonhuman intelligence living with humanity on Earth.51

In a 2026 podcast discussion, Samosa said that Semivan talks about the idea of a non-state hostile intelligence network in the context of Havana syndrome, and suggests considering what Mike Pompeo said about such a network.52 Samosa also said Semivan references non-state intelligence networks in connection with WikiLeaks, suggesting the WikiLeaks material may have come from such a network,53 and that, according to Semivan, a non-state intelligence network was responsible for leaking the emails from the hack of John Podesta’s emails, a leak Semivan is said to have described as decisive in the 2016 United States presidential election, putting Donald Trump into office and keeping Hillary Clinton out.54 Jesse Mitchells has suggested that Semivan’s remarks about a non-state hostile intelligence network are simply about WikiLeaks, because Pompeo hated Julian Assange.55 Samosa has said he accepts the remark could simply describe WikiLeaks, but finds Semivan’s focus on it in the context of Havana syndrome significant.56 Samosa has also recounted that Ryan Bledsoe said Semivan told him the Bledsoe family, which includes Christopher Bledsoe, are thought to be hybrids, and that their experiences may be due to having more, or a certain strand of, non-human DNA.57 Mitchells has noted that this anecdotal human-alien hybridization material comes from people who were very senior in the CIA, such as Semivan.58

  1. Semivan is a former senior CIA official
    “—Jim Semivan, former senior CIA official”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch35:5178-5209 View the source record →
  2. Semivan was born and raised in Ohio
    “Born and raised in Ohio and having attended Ohio State University, Jim joined the CIA in 1982”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:24471-24560 View the source record →
  3. Semivan attended Ohio State University
    “Born and raised in Ohio and having attended Ohio State University, Jim joined the CIA in 1982”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:24471-24560 View the source record →
  4. Semivan joined the CIA in 1982
    “Jim joined the CIA in 1982 and retired in 2007 after a twenty-five-year career.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:24538-24610 View the source record →
  5. Semivan served 25 years as an operations officer, US and internationally
    “Semivan was only recently retired from the Central Intelligence Agency's Directorate of Operations after 25 years as an operations officer working inside the US and internationally.”
    In Plain Sight ch21:787-952 View the source record →
  6. Semivan retired from the CIA in 2007 after a 25-year career
    “Jim joined the CIA in 1982 and retired in 2007 after a twenty-five-year career.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:24538-24610 View the source record →
  7. Semivan served overseas and domestic tours and senior management posts at CIA headquarters
    “He served multiple overseas and domestic tours along with having senior management positions in CIA headquarters.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:24707-24807 View the source record →
  8. Semivan recruited high-level operatives including foreign ambassadors and attaches
    “He operated around the world and recruited high-level operatives. His background was the complete opposite of mine. I recruited scrappy street fighters, insurgents, bomb makers. Jim recruited foreign ambassadors and attachés.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:24971-25194 View the source record →
  9. Semivan held a top secret security clearance
    “The only reason we are having this meeting is because Hal vouched for you and you have a top secret security clearance.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:27598-27707 View the source record →
  10. Semivan received the CIA's Career Intelligence Medal
    “He’s also the recipient of the Agency’s Career Intelligence Medal, along with numerous Exceptional Performance Awards and Meritorious Unit Citations.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:24821-24960 View the source record →
  11. Semivan received Exceptional Performance Awards and Meritorious Unit Citations
    “He’s also the recipient of the Agency’s Career Intelligence Medal, along with numerous Exceptional Performance Awards and Meritorious Unit Citations.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:24821-24960 View the source record →
  12. Semivan held Senior Executive Service rank, roughly two levels below the CIA director
    “I think he's a senior executive service, like just two people under the CIA director when he was working there.”
    The UFO Cover-Up Leads to One Secret Society — and One Final Event 01:15:38.8-01:15:44.2
  13. At retirement Semivan was a member of the CIA's Senior Intelligence Service
    “At the time of his retirement, he was a member of the CIA’s Senior Intelligence Service.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:24618-24698 View the source record →
  14. Semivan was a former CIA national clandestine service executive
    “Let’s leave the last word to former CIA national clandestine service executive Jim Semivan, an acknowledged experiencer with the phenomenon, who left the Coast to Coast audience in no doubt about what he thinks is going on:”
    In Plain Sight ch30:25930-26150 View the source record →
  15. Semivan was a former senior operations officer and trainer for the CIA's Directorate of Clandestine Operations
    “Jim Semivan ... is a former senior operations officer and a former trainer for the CIA's Directorate of Clandestine Operations.”
    In Plain Sight p241 View the source record →
  16. Semivan described as former senior intelligence service officer, CIA Directorate of Operations
    “Jim Simivan, a career spy, former senior intelligence service in the CIA's Directorate of Operations.”
    Tom DeLonge's 'Sekret Machines' FULL Documentary #ufo #uap 00:08:05.5-00:08:11.5
  17. After leaving the CIA, Semivan remained a CIA contractor and stayed connected to agency activities
    “Having recently left the agency, Jim remained a CIA contractor but was still “plugged in.””
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:25197-25283 View the source record →
  18. Semivan had heard rumblings of a real UAP programme run out of the Pentagon
    “He had heard rumblings of a real UAP program being run out of the Pentagon, so he was excited to have finally found us.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:27396-27512 View the source record →
  19. Puthoff introduced Semivan, a senior CIA figure, to Elizondo's effort
    “During this time, Hal had made a few connections of his own. One contact was a highly intelligent man named Jim Semivan, a senior member of the CIA who had enjoyed a long, successful career.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:24247-24430 View the source record →
  20. Puthoff suggested to Jay Stratton that they meet Semivan at the Pentagon
    “Hal suggested to Jay that we meet with Jim at the Pentagon.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:25289-25339 View the source record →
  21. The meeting was the first time Elizondo's group brought in an outsider
    “This was the first time we brought someone into the fold from the outside. We were taking a big chance trusting Jim.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:25349-25461 View the source record →
  22. First time AATIP was referenced to someone outside the team
    “This was the first time we ever referenced AATIP to someone not on the team.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:27964-28035 View the source record →
  23. Semivan confided a personal UAP experience from his time as a senior CIA official
    “To alleviate my fears, Jim courageously revealed a very personal UAP experience he had had while he was still a senior CIA official.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:28099-28222 View the source record →
  24. Elizondo considered the experience similar to other incidents he knew of
    “the details of his incident were very similar to other incidents I was aware of.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:28468-28545 View the source record →
  25. Semivan revealed he was working with a group of former senior officials and a rock star
    “This time Jim mentioned that he was working with some colleagues who consisted of a hodgepodge of former senior military and intelligence officials and a rock star.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:26584-26770 View the source record →
  26. The 'rock star' was Tom DeLonge
    “Then he said the rock star was Tom DeLonge.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:26976-27011 View the source record →
  27. DeLonge described by Semivan as lead singer of Blink-182
    ““You know,” he said, “the lead singer of Blink-182?””
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:27053-27099 View the source record →
  28. Semivan and Stratton invited Elizondo to a programme-team dinner in Roslyn, Virginia
    “Shortly after I accepted the role, Jim and Jay invited me to a large group dinner for the team that was held in the private meeting room of a hotel in Roslyn, Virginia.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch10:90-249 View the source record →
  29. The programme Semivan ran was not sharing UAP data with other nations
    “At this point in time, Jim’s program wasn’t sharing UAP data with other nations, out of a concern for national security.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch10:4318-4429 View the source record →
  30. Semivan introduced Elizondo to Brazilian general Paulo Roberto Yog de Miranda Uchoa
    “Jim introduced us all to a Brazilian general by the name of Paulo Roberto Yog de Miranda Uchôa, and his daughter and personal translator.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch10:3300-3426 View the source record →
  31. 1099 meeting with James Lacatski on dropping paranormal cases from AAWSAP
    “I remember a meeting in the fall of 2009 that Jay and I attended with Jim, in which we openly talked about the wisdom of Jim dropping the investigations AAWSAP had gotten involved with that many considered to be dealing with the paranormal and instead focusing solely on UAP threats.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch16:7085-7360 View the source record →
  32. Elizondo, Semivan and John Robert moved AATIP's remnants out of the DIA
    “Jay, John Robert, and I decided to move the remnants of the effort away from DIA and house it within my portfolio of national programs, ensuring the prying eyes of our detractors would no longer have any visibility.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch16:16305-16509 View the source record →
  33. Semivan, a mutual CIA friend of Mellon, brought Elizondo to Mellon's attention
    “A mutual friend from the CIA, Jim Semivan, brought Lue to my attention.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch6:5503-5564 View the source record →
  34. Semivan told Elizondo he had informed Mellon about AATIP
    “After Chris left, I heard from Jim Semivan, who revealed that he was the one who told Chris about AATIP and where to find us.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch26:3309-3431 View the source record →
  35. Semivan vouched for Mellon to Elizondo
    “He vouched for Chris”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch26:3435-3450 View the source record →
  36. Semivan told Elizondo TTSA needed his knowledge and security help, and to meet DeLonge
    “Jim said TTSA could use my knowledge of the UAP topic and my help setting up security, and encouraged me to meet Tom.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch29:10660-10773 View the source record →
  37. Semivan was one of TTSA's two co-founders
    “The undeniably impressive line-up of former spooks and defence insiders included Jim Semivan, one of the two co-founders of TTSA.”
    In Plain Sight ch21:657-781 View the source record →
  38. Semivan co-founded To The Stars Academy of Arts and Science
    “So first, my two co-founders. Jim Simivan, a career spy, former senior intelligence service in the CIA's Directorate of Operations.”
    Tom DeLonge's 'Sekret Machines' FULL Documentary #ufo #uap 00:08:02.4-00:08:11.5
  39. Semivan remains on TTSA's board as Vice President of Operations
    “Jim Semivan (who remains on TTSA's board and is still Vice President of Operations at time of writing) is a former senior operations officer and a former trainer for the CIA's Directorate of Clandestine Operations.”
    In Plain Sight ch24:7857-8060 View the source record →
  40. TTSA pursued a triple directive of science, education, and media
    “They had aligned themselves with the organization that rock star Tom DeLonge and Jim Semivan had put together, called To The Stars Academy (TTSA), and they planned to pursue a triple directive for UAP disclosure: fresh approaches to UAP science and engineering, educating laymen and journalists, and generating film/TV/publishing content about the UAP phenomena, based on true stories, all to educate the public and put an end to the stigma.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch29:10033-10494 View the source record →
  41. Semivan was one of the advisors to TTSA
    “Jim Semivan, who was one of the advisors for To The Stars Academy”
    The UFO Cover-Up Leads to One Secret Society — and One Final Event 01:15:35.4-01:15:38.2
  42. TTSA's team involved Mellon, Elizondo, Semivan, Steve Justice and Puthoff
    “the people who went ahead and setting up to the STARS Academy, I mean, did involve Chris Mellon, involved Lou Elizondo, Jim Simivan, Steve Justice from, you know, So anyway, and me.”
    Episode 73: Science vs. Secrecy 00:48:19.7-00:48:35.4
  43. Semivan believed the UAP topic needed to be brought to the public
    “What if Jim Semivan was right? What if we needed to somehow bring this topic to “the people”?”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch27:2186-2271 View the source record →
  44. Semivan's team worked to move the UAP conversation out of government silos
    “He and his team were working to wrestle the UAP conversation out of the silos of government and place it into the hands of the American people.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch25:27252-27388 View the source record →
  45. Mellon, Semivan and Puthoff met Elizondo and Leslie Kean near the Pentagon
    “Chris Mellon and Jim Semivan awaited me in the lobby of a hotel not far from the Pentagon. Hal Puthoff arrived shortly after, as did the individual we had all gathered to meet: an independent investigative journalist by the name of Leslie Kean, whom Chris had arranged for us to meet.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch29:7273-7552 View the source record →
  46. The meeting with Kean lasted four hours
    “Meeting with Kean lasted an exhausting four hours.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch29:8535-8579 View the source record →
  47. Mellon, Puthoff and Semivan urged Elizondo to connect with the media
    “Chris Mellon, Hal, and Semivan urged me to consider a different path. If you want to reach the American people on this issue, they said, you need to connect with the media.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch29:9769-9935 View the source record →
  48. Elizondo joined TTSA in 2017 in part to rejoin Puthoff, Semivan and Mellon
    “When I resigned from the Pentagon in 2017, I had jumped at the opportunity to join TTSA because I thought I needed the platform to spread my message and rejoin Hal, Jim, and Chris.”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch30:12361-12535 View the source record →
  49. Semivan considers himself an acknowledged experiencer of the UAP phenomenon
    “Jim Semivan, an acknowledged experiencer with the phenomenon”
    In Plain Sight ch30:26009-26059 View the source record →
  50. Semivan believes a non-human intelligence lives with humanity on Earth
    “‘There’s an entity out there! There’s some kind of non-human intelligence that’s living with us on this fucking planet.’11”
    In Plain Sight ch30:26156-26275 View the source record →
  51. Semivan considers there to be a nonhuman intelligence living with humanity
    ““There is a nonhuman intelligence that is living with us on this planet… . We are not alone, and we never have been.” —Jim Semivan, former senior CIA official”
    Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs ch35:5058-5209 View the source record →
  52. Semivan raises a non-state hostile intelligence network re Havana syndrome and Pompeo
    “He also talks about this idea of a non-state hostile intelligence network... It's in reference to Havana syndrome, actually... He says, you know, you might want to consider what Mike Pompeo had said about this non-state hostile intelligence network.”
    The UFO Cover-Up Leads to One Secret Society — and One Final Event 01:43:06.0-01:43:19.5
  53. Semivan references non-state networks re WikiLeaks
    “the context in which Jim Semivan references the non-state intelligence networks, obviously Havana syndrome, but he's also referencing it in terms of WikiLeaks. He's saying, you know, that the WikiLeaks thing may have been coming from there.”
    The UFO Cover-Up Leads to One Secret Society — and One Final Event 01:44:10.8-01:44:21.7
  54. According to Semivan, a non-state network leaked the Podesta emails
    “According to Semivan a non-state intelligence network is responsible for the leaking of these emails, which were pretty decisive in forcing Trump in and Clinton out.”
    The UFO Cover-Up Leads to One Secret Society — and One Final Event 01:44:32.3-01:44:43.4
  55. Michels suggests Semivan's remark is simply about WikiLeaks and Pompeo's dislike of Assange
    “But isn't that because Pompeo hated Julian Assange and isn't he just talking about WikiLeaks?”
    The UFO Cover-Up Leads to One Secret Society — and One Final Event 01:44:43.5-01:44:47.4
  56. Samosa accepts the WikiLeaks reading but finds the Havana syndrome context significant
    “It's totally possible that he could be just describing that. But what I find interesting is Semivan's focus on it in the context of Havana syndrome”
    The UFO Cover-Up Leads to One Secret Society — and One Final Event 01:44:48.1-01:44:54.5
  57. Ryan Bledsoe recounted Semivan telling him the Bledsoe family are thought to be hybrids
    “he recounts a conversation he had with Jim Semivan... Semivan purportedly told him, we think you're hybrids. reason you're having these experiences is because you may have more non-human DNA or a certain strand of non-human DNA.”
    The UFO Cover-Up Leads to One Secret Society — and One Final Event 02:11:25.4-02:11:39.3
  58. Michels notes the hybridisation anecdotes come from senior CIA figures like Semivan
    “it's anecdotal but it's also from guys who are very high up at the CIA especially when it comes to people like Jim Sammivan”
    The UFO Cover-Up Leads to One Secret Society — and One Final Event 02:13:15.5-02:13:21.6

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