AOC used false spousal claim to score $250 Met Gala 2021 ticket for then-boyfriend Riley Roberts

WASHINGTON, DC: Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez falsely claimed spousal privileges to secure her then-boyfriend, Riley Roberts, a free $250 ticket to the 2021 Met Gala, the House Ethics Committee reported.

Moreover, the committee ordered Ocasio-Cortez to repay the $250 perk, in addition to the $3,000 she received in gifts, as the two were not legally married during the 2021 event.

AOC bent rules with Riley Roberts to score perks and freebies for spouses only

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez faced criticism from the House Ethics Committee in its July 2025 report after listing Riley Roberts as her "spouse" on federal documents filed to attend the 2021 Met Gala, even though the two were not legally married.

The report stated, "The Committee also found evidence that Representative Ocasio-Cortez listed Mr Roberts as her 'spouse' on paperwork filed with the House relating to privately sponsored travel, although the two were not legally married at the time of the gifted travel."

Additionally, the ethics panel found that while Roberts was listed as her spouse on the gala documents, he was not listed as a spouse in AOC's financial disclosures.

"The Committee further notes that at the same time Representative Ocasio-Cortez was seeking to take advantage of exceptions to the Gift Rule only applicable to spouses and/or certain relatives, she was not disclosing Mr Roberts's financial interests as is required of Members who are legally married," the report added.

In July, the Democrat was also ordered to repay thousands of dollars by the ethics panel for failing to pay market rates for items and services related to her 2021 Met Gala appearance.

The committee also found that Ocasio-Cortez underpaid for her red-and-white “Tax the Rich” dress, along with the jewelry and accessories she wore to the 2021 event, which is organized annually by Vogue eeditor Anna Wintour. 

Meanwhile, once AOC pays an additional $2,700 to vendors for the clothing and accessories, the investigation will be considered closed, the ethics panel wrote in its report.

The panel also noted that she has been cooperative throughout the probe.

AOC agrees to donate Riley Roberts' $250 ticket price

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Riley Roberts became engaged in 2022, a year after the 2021 Met Gala, an event that typically costs $35,000 per person to attend.

Following the release of the House Ethics Committee's report, AOC’s chief of staff, Mike Casca, said, "The Congresswoman appreciates the Committee finding that she made efforts to ensure her compliance with House Rules and sought to act consistently with her ethical requirements as a Member of the House."

In coordination with the committee, Ocasio-Cortez agreed to donate the $250 value of Roberts' ticket to the charity that organizes the gala.  

She also agreed to pay an additional $2,733.28 for her now-infamous "Tax the Rich" dress, designed by Aurora James, along with the luxury shoes, jewelry, floral hairpiece, and handbag she wore to the event.

According to the report, one of AOC's campaign staffers asked the vendors to reduce the price of the dress from around $1,300 to $300. After months of follow-ups, she ultimately paid $990.76 for the outfit.

Meanwhile, Casca added in a statement, "She accepts the ruling and will remedy the remaining amounts, as she’s done at each step in this process."

Interestingly, Ocasio-Cortez is viewed as a potential contender for both the New York Senate race in 2026 and the presidential race in 2028.