Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez violated House ethics rules by accepting more than $3,700 in gifts related to her 2021 appearance at the Met Gala, including the well-known “Tax The Rich” dress, while paying less than $1,000 out of pocket.

The House Ethics Committee determined that the New York Democrat did not comply with House gift rules and improperly extended a free ticket to her boyfriend, Riley Roberts, for the $35,000-per-ticket event. However, the committee declined to issue any formal punishment.

According to the committee’s findings, the fair-market value of the rented Brother Vellies dress, along with shoes, jewelry, a handbag, and a hairpiece, totaled $3,724.04. Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign delayed payments for several months and ultimately paid just $990.76, most of which came from her own funds.

Her staff contested several invoices and attempted to lower costs by comparing the custom gown to more affordable rental options online.

“Representative Ocasio-Cortez’s attempt to apply a retail rental cost to a handmade couture gown was unrealistic,” the committee’s report stated.

The report also noted that multiple vendors went unpaid for extended periods and had to repeatedly reach out for compensation—some even threatened legal action. This prompted the committee to issue subpoenas and conduct a three-year investigation.

Although the committee found no evidence that Ocasio-Cortez “intentionally” underpaid for the items, it did criticize her former staff members, including ex-campaign manager Rebecca Rodriguez. Rodriguez was found attempting to negotiate the price of the dress down from $1,300 to $300 and left a $477 hairstyling bill unpaid for nearly six months.

That hairstylist eventually threatened to report the congresswoman’s campaign to the New York Department of Labor.

The committee concluded that no formal punishment would be necessary, provided that Ocasio-Cortez reimburses \$250 for her boyfriend’s dinner and pays an additional \$2,733.28 to the designer.

Mike Casca, Ocasio-Cortez’s chief of staff, said in a statement, “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.”

“She accepts the ruling and will remedy the remaining amounts, as she’s done at each step in this process,” he added.

House rules generally prohibit members of Congress from accepting gifts, except under limited circumstances—such as tickets to charity events if extended by the hosting organization.

In this instance, Vogue editor Anna Wintour personally invited Ocasio-Cortez and her boyfriend as guests of Vogue, rather than the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which officially hosts the gala. Wintour also instructed Brother Vellies’ designer to create a custom dress for Ocasio-Cortez—an unusual request, as the designer typically only creates shoes and handbags.

Despite instructions to limit expenses, the congresswoman’s team was reportedly told several times, “Met Gala attendees don’t normally pay for this,” according to her attorney.

The shoes, valued at $635, were rented for $160. The Brother Vellies handbag had a value of $995 and was rented for $157. Jewelry was rented for $78, and a paper hibiscus flower for her hair cost $35.

In May 2022, a year after the event, her team received another bill totaling \$5,579 for car service, hotel rooms, and accessories such as Roberts’ bowtie and cummerbund.

The committee noted it was never made clear why the designer did not request payment upfront.

“No one appeared to be thinking about the cost of anything, despite the fact that they were told to keep the costs down by the Congresswoman’s staff because the Congresswoman had and has limited financial means,” her lawyer explained.

Ultimately, the committee found that Ocasio-Cortez’s conduct violated House rules, laws, and ethical standards by both accepting the gifts and failing to pay vendors in a timely manner. The matter will be considered resolved once the remaining balances are paid.