Former Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema facing lawsuit over alleged affair with bodyguard
Kyrsten Sinema sued for $25,000 over alleged affair
A North Carolina woman is suing former Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema for more than $25K, alleging Sinema’s affair with the woman's husband destroyed their 14-year marriage under the state’s "alienation of affection" law. FOX 10's Ashlie Rodriguez reports.
PHOENIX - Former Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is facing a civil lawsuit in North Carolina from a woman who alleges the former lawmaker interfered in her 14-year marriage.
What we know:
The plaintiff, Heather Ammel, filed the suit in a North Carolina court seeking more than $25,000 in damages. The legal action cites a rare, century-old "alienation of affection" law still recognized in that state, which allows a spouse to sue a third party for interfering in a marital relationship.
According to the complaint, the alleged affair began in 2022 after Ammel's husband, Matthew Ammel, was hired as Sinema’s personal security detail. Heather Ammel claims she discovered the relationship through messages on the encrypted app Signal, which allegedly included explicit photos and conversations.
Kyrsten Sinema sued for 'alienation of affection' over alleged affair with bodyguard
Former Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is being sued in North Carolina for "alienation of affection" by a woman who alleges Sinema had an affair with her husband, a former security staffer, that ended their 14-year marriage. FOX 10's Megan Spector reports.
The lawsuit further alleges that Sinema used campaign committee funds to pay for the "romantic and lascivious" affair. According to the filing, Sinema allegedly paid for international travel to Europe, trips to Boston and California’s wine country, and expensive outings including the Taylor Swift Eras Tour in Miami and a U2 concert at the Las Vegas Sphere. The complaint states the pair drank Dom Pérignon in Cindy McCain’s private suite during the Las Vegas event.
The suit also claims she told Matthew Ammel to bring MDMA on a work trip so she could "guide him through a psychedelic experience." Matthew Ammel reportedly suffered from military-related PTSD and traumatic brain injuries before entering a relationship with Sinema.
In February 2025, Ammel testified before the Arizona House Appropriations Committee alongside Sinema to lobby for research funding. During the hearing, he shared how psychedelic therapy helped him recover after leaving the U.S. Army.
"My brain was kind of a mess," he said. "Post-ibogaine treatment kind of gave me a direction forward."
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 13: Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) leaves the "AI Insight Forum" outside the Kennedy Caucus Room in the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on September 13, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Im
Allegations of misusing campaign funds
Beyond the romantic allegations, the suit raises questions regarding the potential misuse of campaign and taxpayer funds. According to the filing, Sinema offered Matthew Ammel a salaried position in June 2024, placing him on her Senate staff as a defense and national security fellow in addition to his role as her bodyguard.
"There seems to be an allegation here that Senator Sinema was taking funds that she was not entitled to use for her own personal benefit," said Tom Ryan, a Chandler-based attorney. "If that in fact is true, she has more serious problems to be worried about than just an alienation of affections lawsuit."
The lawsuit claims Sinema paid for security services outside the boundaries of federal law.
"We have seen prior, Congressmen and Senators, who have misused their campaign funds, their contributor’s money, and they've gotten in criminal trouble for that. If that bears out, she has more serious problems," Ryan said.
New details emerge in Kyrsten Sinema lawsuit
A civil lawsuit against former Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema alleges she encouraged a member of her security detail to bring MDMA on a work trip so she could "guide him through a psychedelic experience." FOX 10's Megan Spector reports.
What's next:
Matthew Ammel formally filed for divorce earlier this month. The lawsuit states that he and Sinema remain in a romantic relationship.
Sinema did not immediately respond to requests for comment.