AOC's Campaign Paid Ketamine-Linked Psychiatrist $19K for 'Leadership Training'

Payments to Boston doctor raise questions about use of campaign funds for personal expenses

Mar. 23, 2026 at 4:03am

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's campaign spent nearly $19,000 last year on a psychiatrist known for controversial ketamine therapy, listing the payments in federal filings as "leadership training and consulting." The campaign paid Boston-based Dr. Brian Boyle, who specializes in unorthodox mental health treatments, on multiple occasions in 2025. Both Ocasio-Cortez's campaign and Dr. Boyle declined to comment on the nature of the services provided.

Why it matters

The core issue is whether campaign donors' money was used to fund the congresswoman's personal psychiatric care, which would violate federal campaign finance laws. Ocasio-Cortez has a history of pushing to normalize psychedelic and drug-based therapies at the federal level, raising questions about the legitimacy of labeling these payments as "leadership training."

The details

Dr. Boyle is a Harvard-trained physician who calls himself an "interventional psychiatrist" and serves as chief psychiatric officer at Stella. He specializes in treatments like ketamine for treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, and anxiety. Boyle has spoken openly about his enthusiasm for these methods, saying he "saw the incredible power of what these treatments could do." However, ketamine carries real risks, with a psychiatrist warning about the dangers of "receiving infusions without an appropriate diagnostic workup."

  • In March 2025, Ocasio-Cortez's campaign paid Dr. Boyle $11,550.
  • In May 2025, the campaign paid Dr. Boyle another $2,800.
  • In October 2025, the campaign paid Dr. Boyle $4,375.

The players

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

A U.S. Representative from New York's 14th congressional district and a member of the Democratic Party.

Dr. Brian Boyle

A Boston-based psychiatrist known for his work with controversial ketamine therapy treatments.

Paul Kamenar

Counsel to the National Legal and Policy Center, who criticized the use of campaign funds for what appears to be personal psychiatric expenses.

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What they’re saying

“While I can understand why AOC would spend $18,000 for a shrink whose specialties include narcissistic personality disorders, using her campaign contributions for what appears to be an expense for personal use violates federal campaign finance laws.”

— Paul Kamenar, Counsel to the National Legal and Policy Center

“There's a risk of people receiving infusions for ketamine without an appropriate diagnostic workup and considering other factors which may be responsible for their symptoms. It is a strongly dissociative drug.”

— Dr. Simon Dosovitz, Psychiatrist

“I just saw the incredible power of what these treatments could do. It's a ton of fun helping patients get better.”

— Dr. Brian Boyle

What’s next

The FEC will likely investigate the nature of the payments to Dr. Boyle and whether they violated campaign finance laws regarding the use of donor funds for personal expenses.

The takeaway

This case raises serious questions about the ethical use of campaign contributions and the need for greater transparency around how elected officials spend donor money, especially when it involves unorthodox personal services that may blur the line between campaign operations and individual needs.