🎙️ CONmunity Podcast (formerly Conning the Con)
From Sarah Ferris Media
When your gut says something’s off… do you follow it?
Welcome to CONmunity Podcast, the investigative true-story series that explores trust, belief, and the fine line between ambition and illusion.Each season follows a different real-world investigation — told through the voices of those who lived it, questioned it, and tried to make sense of it.
Season 1 (Conning the Con) followed my sister and me as we uncovered one of New Zealand’s most audacious relationship deceptions.Season 2 (The BADmiral) unpacks the rise of a global humanitarian organisation called IntSAR and the extraordinary claims surrounding the man who led it.Over eighteen months of reporting, I’ve traced how veterans, ex-law-enforcement, and humanitarians were drawn in by a vision that promised purpose and service — and how difficult it can be to see what’s real when hope is the hook.
Independent, empathetic, and grounded in firsthand testimony, CONmunity brings listeners inside complex human stories — without assigning guilt, but always asking the questions that matter.
All content for CONmunity Podcast is the property of Sarah Ferris Media and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
🎙️ CONmunity Podcast (formerly Conning the Con)
From Sarah Ferris Media
When your gut says something’s off… do you follow it?
Welcome to CONmunity Podcast, the investigative true-story series that explores trust, belief, and the fine line between ambition and illusion.Each season follows a different real-world investigation — told through the voices of those who lived it, questioned it, and tried to make sense of it.
Season 1 (Conning the Con) followed my sister and me as we uncovered one of New Zealand’s most audacious relationship deceptions.Season 2 (The BADmiral) unpacks the rise of a global humanitarian organisation called IntSAR and the extraordinary claims surrounding the man who led it.Over eighteen months of reporting, I’ve traced how veterans, ex-law-enforcement, and humanitarians were drawn in by a vision that promised purpose and service — and how difficult it can be to see what’s real when hope is the hook.
Independent, empathetic, and grounded in firsthand testimony, CONmunity brings listeners inside complex human stories — without assigning guilt, but always asking the questions that matter.
The deeper Sarah investigates, the more versions of Admiral Peter Cowell she uncovers. Online profiles, official-looking biographies, and a growing trail of uniforms and honours paint a picture that keeps shifting with every click.
In this episode, Sarah traces how Cowell’s public image evolved — from early job titles to later claims of international rank — and examines the psychology behind reinvention. How does a story take hold, and why do so many accomplished people accept it at face value?
As new evidence emerges from emails, websites, and interviews, Sarah starts to see how credibility can be built one carefully placed detail at a time.
Peter Cowell was contacted for comment during the production of this series. At the time of publication, no response has been received.
All accounts and opinions in this series are those of the participants, based on their own experiences. Allegations are always attributed to their sources. The story is told in the public interest to explore how trust, belief, and ambition can intertwine.
🔎 Themes: investigative journalism · identity · credibility · veterans · leadership · belief · trust · true story
All episodes of The BADmiral are available now — stream them ad-free and with bonus content:🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Join on Patreon
Follow @conmunitypodcast on Instagram for the latest updates, behind-the-scenes insight, and ongoing developments.
Subscribers also get access to exclusive seasons & bonus content including:
🎙️ The Tonka Trilogy – bonus season to Conning the Con
💰 Klooghless – The Long Con – full series ad-free + video extras (where available)
📺 Subscribe on YouTube for videos from all Sarah Ferris Media podcasts → YouTube.com/@SarahFerrisMedia
The BADmiral is Season 2 of CONmunity Podcast (from Sarah Ferris Media) — an independent investigative true-story series exploring trust, belief, and the fine line between ambition and illusion.
🌐 SarahFerrisMedia.com
🎙️ Explore our other shows:
Stop the Killing — with former FBI agent Katherine Schweit
Watching Two Detectives — true crime told by those who solved it
Guilty Greenie — sustainability without the guilt trip
Klooghless – The Long Con — an award-winning investigation into New Zealand’s largest financial deception
The Bravery Academy — stories of courage and resilience
✳️ Now part of CONmunity Podcast (formerly Conning the Con) — from Sarah Ferris Media, telling true stories that explore how belief and ambition intertwine.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
CONmunity Podcast
🎙️ CONmunity Podcast (formerly Conning the Con)
From Sarah Ferris Media
When your gut says something’s off… do you follow it?
Welcome to CONmunity Podcast, the investigative true-story series that explores trust, belief, and the fine line between ambition and illusion.Each season follows a different real-world investigation — told through the voices of those who lived it, questioned it, and tried to make sense of it.
Season 1 (Conning the Con) followed my sister and me as we uncovered one of New Zealand’s most audacious relationship deceptions.Season 2 (The BADmiral) unpacks the rise of a global humanitarian organisation called IntSAR and the extraordinary claims surrounding the man who led it.Over eighteen months of reporting, I’ve traced how veterans, ex-law-enforcement, and humanitarians were drawn in by a vision that promised purpose and service — and how difficult it can be to see what’s real when hope is the hook.
Independent, empathetic, and grounded in firsthand testimony, CONmunity brings listeners inside complex human stories — without assigning guilt, but always asking the questions that matter.
