Ep 335: Con Men and Coercive Control: The Psychology of Deception with Sarah Ferris, Part 2

Crime Analyst

Laura Richards

True Crime

4.9 • 3.2K Ratings

🗓️ 11 May 2026

⏱️ 50 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Laura continues her interview with Sarah Ferris moving beyond the initial deception to unpack the deeper patterns, behaviours, and mindset of a conman - and what we must learn from it. Laura and Sarah profile Peter Cowell, who posed as an Admiral, extracting money from senior leaders, veterans and even targeting former police detectives for an organisation he called IntSAR – the International Sea Air Rescue Service, a global humanitarian project with a military-style structure. It turns out, it is a work of fiction. Drawing on both lived experience and behavioural analysis, Laura and Sarah explore how perpetrators create influence, maintain control, and continue offending - often across multiple victims - while appearing credible and trustworthy to others. Key Takeaways: • The Pattern Behind the Persona: Why conmen rely on consistency, charm, and credibility - and how this masks repeat offending • Grooming & Influence: How trust is built quickly and used to establish control and dependency • Serial Behaviour: Why there is almost always a history -and often multiple victims • Missed Warning Signs: How red flags are explained away, minimised, or only recognised in hindsight • Turning the Tables: The power of awareness, collective action, and refusing to stay silent • Prevention & Protection: Why recognising patterns early is key to reducing harm and protecting others This conversation goes beyond the individual case - it is about understanding the psychology of deception and the patterns of behaviour that enable it. 🎧 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/gb/podcast/coming-soon-season-two-the-badmiral/id1516505977?i=1000730730060 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: Go to Amazon or physicianschoice.com and use code PCPODCAST10 for 10% off your entire order. 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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0:31.3	And what was the membership fee that was discussed?
0:34.4	25 million US per year.
0:36.6	And so you're already thinking there's money sitting there just about to be transferred.
0:40.1	We're thinking there, $700 million sitting there, just waiting for a meeting to happen.
0:45.2	A $3.75 billion international search and rescue organisation, with admirals from all corners of the globe.
0:55.0	But what if the admiral in charge wasn't quite what you'd expect?
1:01.0	If you see somebody in uniform, your brain automatically assumes this is a person that's credible, trustworthy.
1:07.0	The people that he recruited for the admiralty were all very impressive. We couldn't work out whether he was a fantasist.
1:13.6	I get a text message that says that there's been a mutiny on board in Star.
1:17.6	He showed a bank account with 1.2 million in it.
1:20.6	An international rescue organisation so ambitious it would make the Thunderbirds jealous.
1:26.6	A fleet with admirals from every corner of the globe
1:31.8	and millions of dollars poised to float the mission.
1:36.0	But then came the CIA Ghost Plains,
1:39.9	the Russian submarines,
1:41.9	and as the Admiral's trust began to sink,
	...

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