Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is under fire from the House Committee on Ethics for describing her fiancé, Riley Roberts, as both her spouse and not her spouse on official congressional filings.
In a July 2025 report, the ethics panel rebuked the New York Democrat for listing Roberts as her “spouse” on government documents filed to attend the 2021 Met Gala, even though the couple is not legally married, The Daily Mail reported.
“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,” the report said.
At the same time, AOC did not list Roberts as a spouse in her financial disclosures, avoiding requirements that would have forced him to reveal his investments and assets.
“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 follows a previous ruling from the ethics committee that found AOC failed to pay market value for her dress, jewelry, shoes, and services tied to her 2021 Met Gala appearance.
She was ordered to pay an additional $2,700 to vendors to resolve the matter.
The committee stated that they will consider the investigation closed once AOC makes the remaining payments.
AOC has cooperated throughout the probe, according to the report.
The committee also criticized Vogue editor Anna Wintour for personally inviting both Ocasio-Cortez and Roberts to the event.
Despite arguments from her attorney that Roberts is not a legal spouse, the ethics panel pointed out that he received benefits reserved for official congressional spouses.
One of those benefits included a congressional spouse pin, which grants access to restricted areas of the Capitol.
“Mr. Roberts and the Congresswoman have been together since 2014, and have lived together since 2016,” the committee wrote.
“Mr. Roberts has had a spouse pin since the Congresswoman entered Congress in 2019.”
The committee added, “It is clear that the term ‘spouse,’ as utilized in this former rule and as seemingly accepted by the Committee by expanding ‘spouse or dependent’ to any guest, was intended to allow a Member of Congress to bring the individual that they’ve decided to share their lives with to a charity event, regardless of whether they had taken steps to bring the law or religion into their relationship.”
Because Roberts was not formally listed as her spouse in financial filings, it remains unknown whether he holds stock in companies that operate in AOC’s district or elsewhere.
That is notable because Ocasio-Cortez has called for a full ban on congressional stock trading, including trades made by spouses.
The revelations come as speculation grows about her political future.
The 35-year-old Democrat has not ruled out a Senate run in 2026 or a potential bid for president in 2028.
She has been traveling the country with Sen. Bernie Sanders on their “Fighting Oligarchy” tour since February.
Ocasio-Cortez says she remains focused on serving her Bronx district, which she has easily carried in every election since 2018.
Still, Republicans are already bracing for her next move.
Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett told Fox News that he believes the Democrat Socialist will successfully primary Democrat Senate Minority Leader and New York Sen. Charles Schumer.
“Frankly, I’m looking forward to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez primarying him (Schumer) very soon, and seeing him ran out of town because even no one, no one believes what he says,” he said.