Was the name Area 51 unknown before Bob Lazar told his story?
While it is true that Bob Lazar is probably responsible for the name entering popular culture, the Groom Lake base had already been referred to in the media as “Area 51” for nearly a decade.
April 29, 1980
August 29, 1980
June 13, 1984
The above article appeared in dozens and dozens of newspapers across the United States, including the San Francisco Examiner; The Roanoke Times; The Times and Democrat; The News Messenger; The News Harold; Arizona Daily Star; The Standard Star; The Paris News; The San Bernadino County Sun; The Daily World; The Miami News; The Santa Cruz Sentinel; The Salt Lake Tribune; and The Montana Standard, amongst many others.
August 6, 1984
The Air Force wants authority to control an 89,300-mile chunk of a federally owned desert mountain range rising above Area 51. The highly secret spot next to the Nevada Test Site is used to test advanced technologies to be used in the Stealth Bomber and President Reagan’s ‘Star Wars’ defense system.
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/08/06/Air-Force-We-had-no-legal-authority/2948460612800
July 11, 1986
In neighboring Nevada, the Nellis Air Force Base range covers 3 million acres north of Las Vegas and includes Area 51, a dry lake bed area so secret the military refuses to even acknowledge its existence. It is used for tests of many sophisticated aircraft.
https://apnews.com/article/26d98f866ba7498692fc3123850e97bd
Did Bob Lazar profit from his story?
Yes, Bob Lazar did at times profit from his story, beginning a mere 75 days after he was identified on George Knapp’s “UFO’s: The Best Evidence” series on November 10, 1989.
January 24, 1989 – Zeta Reticuli 2 Inc.
On January 24, 1990, Robert Bigelow formed the Zeta Reticuli 2 corporation. Bob was hired on as a contracted engineer with a salary of $30,000 per year – equivalent to about $67,000 in 2023.
In addition, he was given a 36% ownership stake in the company. According to Bob, the purpose of the organization was to produce “various inventions concerned with energy direction (beam weapon) and associated products.
From the Presentence Investigation Report produced for Bob’s sentencing hearing for pandering:
Zeta Reticuli 2 Incorporated, a defunct developmental/production company producing various inventions concerned with energy direction (beam weapon) and associated products (significantly, documents furnished by the defendant to this department reflected that he [Lazar] was the executive vice president of this corporation, as well as, a contracted engineer for $30,000 a year reimbursement for development).
Incorporation document:
Japanese Media Agreement
Testors Model
United Nuclear Merch
The Lazar Tape… and Excerpts from the Government Bible
Conference Speaking Fees
Autobiography
Bob Lazar predicted Element 115.
The government “erased” Bob Lazar’s life documents and education/employment history.