On 18 February 2021, Ellis suspended his membership of the Liberal Party after being charged by the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC) with offences relating to travel allowances.
In February 2021, Ellis informed the House of Assembly that he had been charged with offences arising from an investigation by the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC) into his use of the Country Members' Accommodation Allowance, which permits regional MPs living more than 75 kilometres from Adelaide to claim up to $234 a night when they are in the city on official business.
[4] Following his announcement to parliament, Ann Vanstone, the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption, released a statement confirming that she had referred a brief to the Director of Public Prosecutions in December 2020.
[5] Ellis' trial was delayed until June 2022 to allow time for the High Court of Australia to rule on a similar case relating to another South Australian member of parliament, Troy Bell.
[7] In June, Ellis's lawyers sought a permanent stay of proceedings on the grounds that the evidence was "subject to the absolute protection of parliamentary privilege".