Raleigh, North Carolina – Former U.S. senator Kyrsten Sinema is accused in a federal lawsuit of engaging in an extramarital affair with her bodyguard while serving in office—an alleged relationship that the plaintiff says directly led to the collapse of a 14-year marriage.
The civil suit, filed in North Carolina and first reported by The Daily Beast, claims Sinema had an intimate relationship with her former security officer, Matthew Ammel, ultimately causing the breakdown of his marriage to Heather Ammel.
Lawsuit Alleges Affair and “Malicious Interference”
Heather Ammel is suing Sinema under North Carolina’s alienation of affection statute, a controversial law that allows a spouse to seek damages from a third party accused of intentionally interfering in a marriage.
According to the complaint, Sinema, 49, exchanged lengthy and sexually explicit messages with Ammel, including sending photos of herself wrapped in a towel. The suit also alleges Sinema suggested that Ammel bring MDMA on a work trip so she could “guide him through a psychedelic experience.”
The lawsuit states that about a year after Ammel joined Sinema’s security detail, the head of her security team departed and warned Ammel that Sinema “was having sexual relations with other security members.”
Claims of Exploitation and Gifts
Heather Ammel alleges that her former husband struggled with mental health issues connected to his service in the U.S. Army and that Sinema exploited those vulnerabilities to grow closer to him. According to the filing, Sinema promised to help Ammel work through his challenges and later paid for psychedelic treatments.
The suit further claims Sinema showered Ammel with gifts and experiences, including international travel, a Taylor Swift concert, and the purchase of a Theragun massage device so she could “work on his back.” Sinema allegedly brought Ammel as her guest to a wedding during this period.
Text Messages and Escalation
Heather Ammel says she later discovered numerous sexually charged messages exchanged between Sinema and Ammel on the encrypted messaging app Signal. In June 2024, Sinema allegedly offered Ammel a paid role in her Senate office as a Defense and National Security fellow, placing him directly under her supervision.
Around that time, Heather says she confronted Sinema after seeing a message on Ammel’s phone that read: “I miss you. Putting my hand on your heart. I’ll see you soon.”
Heather responded directly, according to the lawsuit, writing: “Are you having an affair with my husband? You took a married man away from his family.”
“Prior to [Sinema’s] deliberate interference in the marriage, genuine love and affection existed between [the couple],” the lawsuit states.
Divorce and Public Reaction
Matthew Ammel filed for divorce earlier this month, according to TheAssemblyNC. Sinema’s representatives were contacted for comment, but no response has been publicly issued. Ammel could not be reached.
Sinema announced in March 2024 that she would not seek reelection, citing frustration with partisan politics. During her Senate career, she was frequently criticized by progressives for her centrist positions and for aligning closely with Republicans.
Sen. Bernie Sanders publicly criticized her record after her retirement announcement, saying on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, “I will not miss Senator Sinema.”
Sinema’s Post-Senate Career
Since leaving the Senate, Sinema has become a political adviser at Washington, D.C.–based law firm Hogan Lovells. At the time of her departure from Congress, she said compromise in American politics had become a “dirty word,” despite legislative accomplishments such as infrastructure investment and public safety measures.
The lawsuit remains ongoing, and no court rulings have yet been issued on the allegations.
