An extraordinary allegation involving the CIA, consumer DNA databases, and supposed extraterrestrial bloodlines is making waves online, reigniting a much larger debate about government surveillance, intelligence agency secrecy, and the privacy of ordinary Americans.
The claim alleges that the CIA secretly obtained backdoor access to genetic information held by 23andMe and Ancestry.com, allegedly searching for DNA markers associated with an extraterrestrial race. While no credible evidence has emerged to substantiate the accusation, the controversy raises a legitimate question: Just how secure is Americans’ most personal information from government access?
The story originates with Jason Reza Jorjani, an author and philosopher who claims to have learned about the alleged operation from retired Army Sergeant Lyn Buchanan. Buchanan participated in the U.S. government’s Cold War-era remote viewing program, an intelligence experiment that investigated whether alleged psychic abilities could be used to obtain information about distant people and locations.
According to Jorjani, Buchanan told him that former CIA scientist Christopher “Kit” Green supposedly possessed access to a secret program capable of screening commercial DNA databases for unusual genetic markers. Those markers allegedly identified descendants of extraterrestrial beings known in UFO lore as the Nordics.
The theory describes these supposed beings as tall, fair-skinned, blonde-haired, and blue-eyed, with an appearance resembling people of Scandinavian ancestry. According to the story, generations of their descendants have allegedly lived unnoticed in small communities throughout the Colorado Rockies, believing their families originally immigrated from Sweden.
Jorjani also recounts an alleged encounter in which Buchanan supposedly met several of these individuals at a diner in the Colorado mountains. According to that secondhand account, the families wanted nothing more than to live ordinary, peaceful lives without government interference.
However, there is a major problem with the entire narrative: Nobody has produced credible evidence that any of it actually happened.
No classified documents, technical records, independent witnesses, or verifiable information have emerged establishing that the CIA operated such a program or that either genetic testing company provided unauthorized access to its customers’ information. Questions also remain about the timeline of Green’s government service and his alleged involvement with commercial genetic testing companies.
While the extraterrestrial claims remain unsubstantiated, the underlying issue of genetic privacy is neither fictional nor insignificant.
In 2023, 23andMe suffered a massive data breach affecting approximately 6.9 million customers worldwide. The incident exposed sensitive ancestry and personal information, raising serious concerns about how commercial genetic testing companies protect the information entrusted to them.
The company’s subsequent bankruptcy in March 2025 raised additional questions about what happens to customers’ genetic information when a business changes ownership. Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson formally raised concerns about the potential transfer of millions of Americans’ sensitive personal records during the bankruptcy proceedings.
Government access to genetic information is another significant concern. Law enforcement agencies have already used genetic genealogy databases to investigate serious criminal cases, including the Golden State Killer investigation. Platforms such as GEDmatch have subsequently established privacy settings governing participation in law enforcement searches.
These documented cases do not substantiate the alleged CIA operation, but they demonstrate that genetic privacy is a genuine issue independent of speculation about extraterrestrial life.
The federal government’s history of conducting classified intelligence experiments has also contributed to public skepticism. Programs investigating mind control and remote viewing were once secret, illustrating why some Americans question official explanations when allegations involving intelligence agencies emerge.
Nevertheless, past government misconduct is not evidence that this particular accusation is true.
The Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office has reported finding no verifiable evidence that UFO sightings represent extraterrestrial activity or that the government possesses alien technology. Its investigations have identified conventional explanations for numerous sightings, while other cases remain unresolved because of insufficient data.
For now, Jorjani’s allegations remain an uncorroborated secondhand account. There is no verified evidence that the CIA secretly accessed either company’s genetic databases to identify supposed extraterrestrial descendants.
The broader privacy debate, however, does not depend on proving the existence of aliens or a clandestine intelligence operation. It concerns the security of sensitive personal information, the circumstances under which government agencies can access it, and the protections available to consumers.
