Who is Thad Roberts? NASA intern stole $21 million worth of lunar samples to keep a wild promise to girlfriend

A former NASA intern has been accused of stealing moon rocks valued at $21 million. Investigators say the alleged theft was connected to a plan to use the lunar samples during a sexual encounter and claim it happened “on the moon.”

The case has gained attention due to the high value of the rocks and the reported motive. NASA’s moon rocks are stored under strict security and are used only for research purposes. The incident has led to questions about how the theft took place.

Details of the theft and the strange motive that investigators say was behind it

Just found out this dude Thad Roberts promised his girlfriend “the moon” and stole millions of dollars worth of moon rocks from NASA to sell them.

He ultimately spread the rocks out on his hotel bed and had sex with her before he got busted. Top tier weird dude 😂 pic.twitter.com/PfiO1yBjEC

— Zach Debo (@Zachdebo) June 3, 2025

The accused was an intern at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. This is where moon rocks from the Apollo missions of 1969 to 1972 are kept. These samples are stored in secure conditions to make sure they stay uncontaminated.

Investigators say the intern took a safe with lunar samples out of the building. The rocks weighed about 101 grams, which is a small amount, but their value is estimated at $21 million because they are rare and important for science.

The motive, according to investigators, was unusual. They claim the intern wanted to create an intimate experience they could call “having s*x on the moon.” Since going to the moon wasn’t possible, the intern allegedly decided to bring the moon to the setting instead. Reports say the plan involved taking the rocks to a hotel and using them during the encounter.

It’s not clear if this actually happened. Authorities say the intern tried to impress a partner by showing them the moon rocks and talking about where they came from.

How NASA and law enforcement responded to recover the stolen lunar samples

The theft was discovered after law enforcement received a tip. NASA and the FBI worked together on the investigation. The safe containing the moon rocks was later recovered. According to experts, once the samples were removed from secure storage and handled without protective measures, they could no longer be used for scientific research due to possible contamination.

The accused was charged with theft of government property and transportation of stolen goods. Lunar samples are protected by federal laws, and violations can result in significant legal penalties, including prison time.

Moon rocks contain information about the moon’s history, its geological structure, and the early solar system. No additional samples have been collected by humans since the Apollo missions, making the existing collection limited in quantity.

Following the incident, NASA reviewed and strengthened security procedures to reduce the risk of similar events in the future. Access to lunar materials is now subject to tighter controls

Moon rocks are rare scientific materials that help researchers understand the moon’s history and its connection to Earth. Even a small loss or contamination can permanently remove valuable information.

In this case, although the samples were recovered, experts say the scientific damage had already occurred once they were removed from controlled storage.