Ep 333: Con Men and Coercive Control: The Psychology of Deception with Sarah Ferris, Part 1

Crime Analyst

Laura Richards

True Crime

4.9 • 3.2K Ratings

🗓️ 4 May 2026

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

We all like to think we would know a conman when we see one – that’s what savvy Sarah Ferris thought when her sister Emma introduced her to the man she met on Tinder. His name was Andrew Tonks – only it wasn’t. His real name was Andrew W C Tonks Thomson. After six months of dating him he conned her out of more than $250,000. Together with her sister, Sarah, and a brilliant group of women – they didn't let him get away it and turned the tables on him. They made a podcast about it as it happened in real time called Conning the Con. And Tonks/Tomson is still making headlines, having been charged with offences relating to six more victims and a new trial in the Supreme Court. You won’t want to miss this. Listen and learn about: • Grooming, manipulation, and the psychology of influence; • Why intelligent, capable people can be targeted and entrapped; • The importance of recognising patterns - not isolated incidents; • Trusting your instincts and understanding risk; • Prevention, awareness, and protecting yourself and others; 🎧 Listen, learn, and share - you could change your life. #CrimeAnalyst #SarahFerris #CONmunityPodcast #CoerciveControl #BehaviouralAnalysis #TrueCrime #TrueCrimePodcast #Manipulation #Gaslighting #Grooming #HiddenAbuse #TrustYourInstincts #RedFlags #PatternRecognition #WomenSafety #Empowerment #Prevention #ProtectYourself Clip https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/s1-e1-the-romcon/id1516505977?i=1000504874056 Find Sarah here: Sarah Ferris CONmunity Podcast Klooghless Podcast Watching Two Detectives: Stop the Killing Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conmunitypodcast New charges: https://www.examiner.com.au/story/9233967/alleged-east-coast-conman-to-face-eventual-supreme-court-trial/ Thank You to the Crime Analyst Sponsors Who Make the Show Possible. Support The Show Through the Sponsors:Amplify your spring look with Thrive Causemetics. Go to thrivecausemetics.com/ANALYSTS for an exclusive offer of 20% off your first order. Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll use. Head to Quince.com/CRIMEANALYST for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Laura’s Resources and Training information: www.dashriskchecklist.com www.thelaurarichards.com Crime Analyst YouTube, Socials and Website YouTube @crimeanalyst Facebook Crime Analyst Podcast Instagram @crimeanalyst @laurarichards999 Threads @crimeanalyst X @thecrimeanalyst @laurarichards999 TikTok @crimeanalystpod Website www.crime-analyst.com Leave a 5* Review https://www.crime-analyst.com/reviews/new/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:24.5	Sign up for your $1 a month trial at Shopify.com slash setup.
0:31.4	Something is creeping in.
0:34.9	Don't follow it down.
0:45.3	24 hours ago, I found out the person that I'd be dating and seeing for the last six months as a con man. Turns out he has several other Aes and names that he goes by.
0:51.3	I thought I'd done the research into him, but the whims and the lies that this man is told goes very deep.
0:59.0	That is my sister Emma. Andrew Tonks' lies had been so convincing she'd invested $300,000 with him.
1:08.0	However, the tables were about to turn on Andrew. What he didn't know was that
1:12.3	Emma had discovered his real identity. But to get any chance of justice, Emma had to act like it
1:19.2	was business, as usual. It's very scary, because I'm worried that I am going to get corn,
1:24.1	but I have to play the game because I need to get that money back.
1:29.5	I need to make him feel like I am the little person that going along with it that he has
1:34.6	groomed me to be.
1:36.0	As the web tightens around Andrew, Emma and I start to tear down his world, blowing up his
1:41.1	cons, one after the other.
1:44.4	It's just so deep.
1:46.7	I think I need this to finish the charade with him.
1:49.5	As Andrew becomes more and more desperate, he doubles down on his lies and creates a story
	...

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