GoKawiilDavid Farrier's documentary 'Mister Organ' chronicles New Zealand conman's harassment campaign
Journalist David Farrier's film Mister Organ began as reporting on a Ponsonby antiques shop illegally clamping cars, which led him to investigate Michael Organ, the man running the clamping operation. Farrier's investigation uncovered Organ's history of fraud, including a prior yacht-theft scheme and false claims of being a prince and lawyer, and the film tracks how Organ later targeted Farrier himself, including obtaining a key to his home.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The reporting that sparked the documentary reportedly prompted New Zealand's government to consider legislation banning excessive vehicle-clamping fees, showing how a local journalism investigation can influence policy. The film's shift from consumer-protection story to personal psychological ordeal also illustrates the risks journalists can face when their subjects respond with harassment rather than accountability.
- Mister Organ started as David Farrier's reporting on illegal car-clamping fees in Auckland, New Zealand.
- The investigation exposed Michael Organ's history of fraud, including a yacht-theft scheme and false claims of nobility and legal credentials.
- Farrier says he eventually left the country after Organ allegedly obtained a key to his home and continued a campaign of harassment.
Source: theverge.com — Terrence O'Brien, 2026-10-18
Published there as: “Mister Organ is one of the most unsettling documentaries I’ve ever seen”
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