Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) spent nearly $19,000 in campaign funds on a psychiatrist known for ketamine therapy, according to federal filings that are now drawing scrutiny over whether the spending was legal.
Records show her campaign paid Boston-based Dr. Brian Boyle $18,725 across multiple payments in 2025, with the expenses labeled as “leadership training and consulting.”
Boyle serves as chief psychiatric officer at Stella, a clinic that specializes in alternative mental health treatments, including ketamine therapy, which has grown in use for depression and PTSD but remains controversial due to its hallucinogenic effects and potential risks.
The campaign has not explained what services were provided or who participated in the sessions, leaving a key gap in understanding whether the spending qualifies as campaign-related.
Campaign finance law prohibits using campaign funds for personal expenses, and critics argue that paying a psychiatrist, particularly one focused on medical treatment, does not clearly fall under legitimate campaign activity.
Paul Kamenar of the National Legal and Policy Center said the payments appear improper, stating that using campaign contributions for what looks like personal use would violate federal law.
He also questioned the classification of the expenses, noting that Boyle does not specialize in political consulting or leadership training, which is how the payments were described in filings.
The issue centers on how the payments are categorized and whether they can be directly tied to campaign work. If the services were personal in nature, the spending could violate federal rules regardless of any broader justification.
If they were related to campaign strategy or performance, the campaign would need to clearly demonstrate that connection.
So far, no such explanation has been provided. Ocasio-Cortez has not publicly addressed the payments or clarified their purpose, leaving unanswered questions about how the funds were used and why they were labeled as consulting.
Ocasio-Cortez has previously supported alternative mental health treatments and has been open about her own experiences. She backed research into psychedelics and supported legislation expanding studies into substances like psilocybin and MDMA.
She also said she sought therapy after the Jan. 6 Capitol protest, describing the event as traumatic and explaining that she needed time to process it. That context explains her support for therapy, but does not resolve whether campaign funds were appropriate for these payments.
The payments were made in March, May, and October of 2025, totaling nearly $19,000, and each was categorized under consulting, per the New York Post.
That classification is likely to be central if the spending is reviewed, as regulators typically examine whether expenses align with campaign activity or provide a personal benefit.
No investigation has been announced, but the payments are already attracting attention because similar cases have led to penalties when funds were found to be used improperly.
The situation remains unresolved due to the lack of explanation. Campaign funds are restricted to political use, and any expense that primarily benefits the individual rather than the campaign can violate federal law.
Without clear documentation tying the payments to campaign activity, the spending remains questionable and leaves Ocasio-Cortez facing pressure to explain how and why the money was used.
