Editing Frank Scully and Behind the Flying Saucers (section)

=== The Exposure and Its Aftermath ===
In '''1952''', J.P. Cahn of the San Francisco Chronicle published a thorough investigation of Newton and Gebauer's background in '''True magazine''' under the title "The Flying Saucers and the Mysterious Little Men." Cahn:
* Documented Newton and Gebauer's history of oil-field scams dating to the 1930s
* Demonstrated that Newton's claimed fortune of $20 million was fictional
* Obtained a metal sample from Newton representing alien material — which '''proved to be ordinary aluminum''' upon analysis
* Traced the "doodlebug" device scheme and its fraudulent use of the alien technology backstory

The Denver District Attorney brought charges. In '''December 1953''', Newton and Gebauer were convicted of fraud and conspiracy. Scully's professional reputation suffered severe damage. He acknowledged in later years that he had been deceived, while maintaining some personal belief in the UFO phenomenon.