Former Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema faces lawsuit over alleged affair with security detail
Former U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema is facing a civil lawsuit filed in North Carolina alleging she engaged in a romantic relationship with her bodyguard that caused the breakdown of his 14-year marriage. Heather Ammel is seeking between $25,000 and $75,000 in damages under North Carolina’s “alienation of affection” law, a rare statute that allows spouses to sue third parties for interfering in marital relationships.
According to the lawsuit, the alleged affair began in 2022 after Matthew Ammel was hired as Sinema’s personal security detail. Heather Ammel claims she discovered the relationship through encrypted messages on Signal that included explicit photos and conversations. By summer 2024, her husband had stopped wearing his wedding ring, the filing states.
Campaign Fund Allegations
The lawsuit raises serious questions about potential misuse of campaign and taxpayer funds. The complaint alleges that Sinema paid for international travel to Europe, trips to Boston and California’s wine country, and expensive outings using campaign committee money. These allegedly included tickets to the Taylor Swift Eras Tour in Miami and a U2 concert at Las Vegas Sphere, where the pair reportedly drank Dom Pérignon in Cindy McCain’s private suite.
In addition to his security role, Sinema allegedly placed Matthew Ammel on her Senate staff in June 2024 as a defense and national security fellow while continuing to cover expenses associated with their relationship. Legal experts have suggested that if the campaign fund allegations prove accurate, Sinema could face more serious consequences than the civil lawsuit alone.
Psychedelic Treatment Connection
Court documents claim Sinema encouraged Ammel to bring MDMA on a work trip to guide him through a psychedelic experience. Matthew Ammel, a former service member, has struggled with military-related PTSD and traumatic brain injuries from deployments in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Sinema also reportedly paid for psychedelic treatment for his condition.
In February 2025, Ammel testified before the Arizona House Appropriations Committee alongside the former senator to lobby for research funding into psychedelic therapy treatments.
What Comes Next
Matthew Ammel formally filed for divorce earlier this month, and the lawsuit states that he and Sinema remain in a romantic relationship. The case was initially filed quietly in Moore County, North Carolina in late 2025 before being moved to federal court this week. Sinema, who served as an independent senator from Arizona until January 2025, has not responded to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit.
Sinema declined to seek reelection in 2024 after a contentious single term marked by her departure from the Democratic Party. She currently works for Washington-based legal and lobbying firm Hogan Lovells, where she has lobbied for data center development and research funding for the psychedelic drug ibogaine.
