A convicted fraudster who stole nearly $280,000 from customers of his travel company is hoping to be elected to the Australian parliament, where he says politicians “steal from the Australian people every day.”
Jordan Dittloff, 35, stole $277,993 from 47 customers between July 2014 and May 2015 through his company Ace Travel, based in Colac, about 150km south-west of Melbourne.
Dittloff took payments from holidaymakers for flights, hotels and tours while working at Ace Travel in Colac and even printed fake itineraries but never completed the bookings.
One of his victims was the mother of his then fiancée, who had saved up for her trip of a lifetime by sewing and knitting.
Dittloff spent more than two years in prison and only paid back a few of his victims.
However, he now plans to run for the Libertarian Party in the next federal election, likely to take place early next year.
Jordan Dittloff, 35, stole $277,993 from 47 customers between July 2014 and May 2015 through his company Ace Travel, based in Colac, about 150km southwest of Melbourne (pictured, out of court at the time)
“There will be a lot of people in the Colac community who are right to be skeptical,” Dittloff admitted to A Current Affair.
“But my past and my past mistakes do not excuse the situation we have in Canberra right now.
“I think there are a lot of people in Canberra who steal and harm the Australian people every day. They don’t regret it.’
However, his victims have a different opinion.
Stuart Kyle, who handed over $10,990 to Dittloff for a trip to Asia that never happened, said he was “stunned” by the development.
“How can anyone do all this and think he has any chance of being in a position like that?” Mr. Kyle asked.
‘If he wants to call me, I can give him my bank account. If he wants to put some money into that, it would be very well received.”
Dittloff has promised to pay back his victims over the next “seven to 10 years.”
He has paid $34,638 so far – just 12 percent of the total he stole from trusting customers.
Dittloff admits that he “not only stole from people, but I also betrayed their trust.”
“I looked people in the eye, I accepted money they had paid for their trips and I used that money to pay for other trips that had previously been booked to generate documents,” he told the program.
“That was wrong and that is something I own and will not hide from.
“I’m not sitting here telling anyone to trust me, or trust me.
Dittloff has promised to pay back his victims over the next “seven to 10 years.”
“All I’m asking is that they look at what I’ve done since then.”
Dittloff claims he has completed a business administration degree and a postgraduate law degree, telling the program he now works for a law firm.
However, his website states: ‘I hope to be admitted to the legal profession in 2024, and I am curious to see what the future holds.’
Daily Mail Australia approached Dittloff for further comment.
“I have been able to reflect on behaviors that fueled past addictions and now, with strong support networks, I have over 8 years of recovery and sobriety,” Dittloff’s website says.
Monash University Constitutional law expert Professor Luke Beck told the program that Dittloff’s criminal past would not prevent him from standing as a candidate.
“Someone who has served his time is free to stand as a candidate and it is up to the public to decide whether such a person should be allowed to sit in parliament,” Prof. Beck said.
“If we want a vibrant democracy, the more people who run for office, the more opinions and options there are, the better.”
