Documentary 'Mister Organ' chronicles journalist's encounter with alleged conman and resulting campaign of harassment
Auckland journalist David Farrier's investigation into aggressive parking-lot clamping practices uncovered a deeply troubled subject who later escalated to personal harassment and threats.
What happened
Journalist David Farrier began investigating Bashford Antiques in Ponsonby, New Zealand, for aggressively clamping cars and demanding exorbitant fees (up to $760) to release them. His reporting led to government legislation outlawing extreme clamping fees. At the center of the lot's operations was Michael Organ, whom Farrier discovered had a history of elaborate schemes, including a prior yacht theft attempt, and falsely claimed to be both a prince and a lawyer. As Farrier continued his investigation and direct interactions with Organ, the subject revealed he had obtained a key to Farrier's home and warned him to be careful. Organ subsequently engaged in an escalating campaign of harassment and gaslighting that ultimately forced Farrier to leave the country.
Context
The documentary, directed by Farrier himself, transforms from an investigation into predatory parking practices into a psychological portrait of a manipulative individual who has left multiple people traumatized. Organ's behavior represents a pattern of deception and intimidation that extends beyond a single scheme or victim, escalating from occupational misconduct to direct personal threat. The case illustrates how an initial public-interest investigation can unexpectedly expose a more disturbing pattern of individual pathology and sustained interpersonal harm.