Kamal Ghorui
Ohio gubernatorial candidate and Indian-American politician Vivek Ramaswamy spent nearly $12,000 in campaign funds on a luxury trip to Puerto Rico, according to campaign finance documents and reporting by MeidasTouch, a progressive political media organisation in the US.Records show that in November 2025, Ramaswamy’s campaign paid $11,898.25 to the Dorado Beach Ritz-Carlton Reserve, one of Puerto Rico’s most luxurious resorts, citing the purpose as “travel.” A one-bedroom suite at the resort can cost up to $5,820 per night and offers high-end accommodations, private dining, a golf course, five‑acre spa and other sports facilities.Ramaswamy is a billionaire whose net worth is estimated at $2.2 billion by Forbes. He travelled to the island ahead of the ITServe Alliance Synergy annual conference, scheduled for December 2025. He was due to deliver the keynote speech at the event, which advocates for changes to H-1B visa policies, including increasing annual caps and easing restrictions. The group also engages in lobbying and legal challenges related to US immigration policy.Reports indicate that Ramaswamy withdrew from the conference shortly before it began after receiving online criticism from some conservative commentators over the organisation’s position on H-1B visas. H‑1B visas are US work permits that allow companies to employ foreign professionals in specialty occupations requiring highly specialized knowledge or skills.During the trip, Ramaswamy posted on social media showing him playing pickleball at the resort alongside internet personalities and YouTubers Logan Paul and Jake Paul. The resort includes a sports hub where guests can access courts for recreational activities.The luxury trip, along with Ramaswamy’s planned conference, his withdrawal, and his leisure activities, has led to questions about how campaign funds were used. A campaign spokesperson told Signal Ohio that Ramaswamy “planned to be in Puerto Rico regardless of the conference.” Moreover, Ramaswamy founded the biotech company Roivant Sciences in 2014, which bought an Alzheimer’s drug that had previously failed clinical trials and took it public in 2015, raising hundreds of millions of dollars. The stock later collapsed, leaving many investors with large losses, while Ramaswamy had already profited by selling shares.
