A recent review of campaign finance records shows that Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reported nearly $19,000 in payments during 2025 to a psychiatrist, categorized as “leadership training and consulting.” According to filings with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), her campaign committee issued three separate payments to Dr. Brian Boyle totaling $18,725. These payments included $11,550 in March, $2,800 in May, and $4,375 in October.
Dr. Boyle is listed as the Chief Psychiatric Officer at Stella, a mental health provider with more than 20 locations nationwide. His professional background includes training at Harvard Medical School and nearly a decade working as an attending psychiatrist at both McLean Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital.
Stella offers a range of treatments, including ketamine-assisted therapy, Spravato (an FDA-approved esketamine nasal spray), transcranial magnetic stimulation, and stellate ganglion blocks. These therapies are typically used to address conditions such as depression, PTSD, and anxiety disorders.
Under federal law, campaign funds cannot be used for personal expenses. The FEC evaluates such expenditures using the “irrespective test,” which considers whether the expense would exist regardless of a candidate’s campaign activities or official responsibilities. If it would, the expense may be deemed personal and therefore impermissible. The reported payments have drawn attention within that regulatory framework, though no formal determination has been publicly announced.
