A ship without a captain can drift — but what happens when someone new quietly takes the helm?
In this episode, Sarah investigates how IntSAR evolved through three distinct lifespans: its founding as a small charitable company, its transformation under Peter Cowell’s leadership, and its sleek modern relaunch years later. Each version carries the same crest, motto, and mission — but behind the surface lies a changing cast of characters and unanswered questions.
From archived websites and corporate filings to interviews with those once involved, The BADmiral explores how legitimacy can be borrowed, how old structures can hide new intentions, and how the line between purpose and pretense can blur at sea.
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 examine how trust, belief, and ambition can intertwine.
🔎 Themes: investigative journalism · organisational history · veterans · leadership · identity · legitimacy · humanitarian aid
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
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37:55
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37:55
S2 | E5 — THE TALENTED MR COWELL
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
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51:48
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51:48
S2 | E4 — TORPEDOING THE TRUTH
⚓️ S2 | E4 — TORPEDOING THE TRUTH
The deeper Sarah dives, the murkier the waters become.In this episode, she begins piecing together IntSAR’s shifting history — from early company records to its modern-day reincarnation — uncovering documents that raise questions about what was promised, what was delivered, and what might have been imagined.
As veterans and former insiders recount their experiences, one thing becomes clear: truth can be slippery when wrapped in uniforms, titles, and purpose. With every new discovery, Sarah edges closer to understanding how an organisation claiming to save lives could leave so many people adrift.
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 · veterans · trust · leadership · humanitarian aid · organisational truth · public interest
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 insights, 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
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44:57
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44:57
S2 | E3 — YOUR EYES ONLY
⚓️ S2 | E3 — YOUR EYES ONLY
A letter marked For Your Eyes Only lands in Sarah’s inbox — and with it, a deeper look into the promises, paperwork, and personalities surrounding IntSAR, the International Sea Air Rescue Service.
This episode uncovers the inner workings of a supposed global humanitarian organisation that aimed to unite nations under one rescue command. But as Sarah follows the trail of official-looking documents, job offers, and private messages, she begins to question: where do the facts end, and the fiction begin?
Through conversations with insiders and veterans who believed in IntSAR’s mission, The BADmiral continues to explore how good people can get swept up in big visions — and why it’s so difficult to spot red flags when you’re already invested.
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 understand how trust, belief, and ambition can intertwine.
🔎 Themes: investigative journalism · veterans · leadership · belief · humanitarian aid · trust · power dynamics
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 insights, 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 real stories that explore how belief and ambition intertwine.
🧭 LISTEN NEXT🌊 ABOUT CONMUNITY PODCAST
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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41:00
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41:00
S2 | E2 — RED FLAGS ON THE HORIZON
S2 | E2 — RED FLAGS ON THE HORIZON
A uniform, a hangar, and a promise that sounds almost too ambitious to be true.As Sarah continues to investigate IntSAR – the International Sea Air Rescue Service and its self-described leader Admiral Peter Cowell, two retired detectives share their first-hand encounter — a meeting that left more questions than answers.
From Bathurst to Fiji and Canberra, plans for global rescue fleets and billion-dollar budgets collide with shifting stories and unanswered emails. Were these simply bureaucratic hiccups, or early signs that something wasn’t as it seemed?
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 examine how trust, belief, and ambition can intertwine.
🔎 Themes: investigative journalism · veterans · trust · belief · leadership · humanitarian aid · 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 real stories that explore how belief and ambition intertwine.
🧭 LISTEN NEXT🌊 ABOUT CONMUNITY PODCAST
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
🎙️ 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.
Australia