Former Advisor Admits Expense Fraud
Matthew Torbitt pleaded guilty to two fraud charges relating to parliamentary travel claims.
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Matthew Torbitt, a former political advisor, has admitted to making fraudulent expense claims using the Parliamentary travel booking system. He pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation at Thames Magistrates' Court. The court heard that between August 2022 and September 2024, Torbitt claimed for rail tickets that were not for Parliamentary purposes. He also admitted to a false claim for travel and accommodation expenses on 2 October 2024.
Estimated Value of Claims
Prosecutor Maisha Mannan informed the court that the fraudulent claims are estimated to be worth more than £6,000. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) provided this early estimate, and the exact sum will be determined at a later stage. Torbitt, aged 35, has recently been active as a political commentator, appearing on various news and radio programmes.
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Legal Proceedings
Torbitt entered his guilty pleas while appearing at Thames Magistrates' Court. District Judge Navneet Sher has committed the case to Snaresbrook Crown Court for sentencing, with a date yet to be fixed. The judge indicated that sentencing was unlikely to occur for at least four weeks. Torbitt had previously worked in various advisory roles for Labour frontbenchers between 2018 and 2024. An investigation was initiated by the Metropolitan Police following a report of alleged unauthorised purchases on a travel booking system by a member of parliamentary staff.
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