Ethics Complaint Filed Against AOC Over Alleged Misuse of Campaign Funds
Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is facing a serious ethics complaint that alleges she improperly used campaign funds to pay for ketamine therapy sessions. The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC), a conservative non-profit organization, has submitted a formal complaint to federal authorities regarding these expenditures.
Details of the Alleged Financial Irregularities
The complaint specifically claims that Ocasio-Cortez's campaign committee spent more than $19,000 on sessions with psychiatrist Dr. Brian W. Boyle during 2025. According to Federal Election Commission records, these payments were designated as 'leadership training and consulting' expenses across four separate transactions.
The NLPC contends these funds were actually used for personal psychiatric services provided either to the congresswoman herself or members of her campaign staff. The organization has filed its complaint with both the Federal Elections Commission and the Office of Congressional Conduct, requesting immediate investigation and appropriate penalties.
Questions About the Service Provider
Dr. Boyle serves as Chief Psychiatric Officer at Stella Mental Health in Boston, and his professional website notably does not list leadership training or consulting among his specialties. However, he does advertise ketamine therapy services, including Spravato, which is the only FDA-approved ketamine nasal spray currently available.
Stella Mental Health operates facilities in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Utah, but appears to have no locations in either New York or the Washington, DC metropolitan area where Ocasio-Cortez primarily works and resides.
Background and Previous Trauma Disclosure
This complaint follows an investigation published earlier this month by the New York Post. The allegations emerge against the backdrop of Ocasio-Cortez's previous public discussions about mental health treatment.
Following the January 6th Capitol attack in 2021, the congresswoman openly shared that she had entered therapy to process the trauma she experienced. In a 2021 interview with Latino USA, she described how Representative Ayanna Pressley encouraged her to recognize her trauma after the events.
'Oh yeah, I'm doing therapy but also I've just slowed down,' Ocasio-Cortez stated at the time. 'I think the Trump administration had a lot of us, especially Latino communities, in a very reactive mode.'
Political Context and Response
The outspoken progressive, who famously joined Congress after an upset victory over longtime Democrat Joe Crowley in 2018, has not yet publicly commented on these specific allegations. The Daily Mail has reached out to Ocasio-Cortez's campaign for their response to the ethics complaint.
As a prominent member of the progressive 'Squad' in Congress, these allegations represent a significant challenge that could potentially impact her political standing and campaign operations moving forward.
