Ex-Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema Dragged to Court Over Alleged Affair With Married Aide

Former United States Senator from Arizona, Kyrsten Sinema, has been accused of interfering in a marriage following claims that she engaged in an inappropriate relationship with her former bodyguard.

The allegation is contained in a lawsuit filed in Moore County, North Carolina, by Heather Ammel, the estranged wife of Matthew Ammel, a retired U.S. Army veteran who was hired as Sinema’s personal security aide in April 2022.

According to court documents, Heather accused the former senator of “intentional and malicious interference” in her marriage, alleging that Sinema developed a personal relationship with Matthew while he was still legally married.

The lawsuit claimed that Matthew frequently accompanied Sinema on official and private trips to destinations including Napa Valley, Las Vegas and Saudi Arabia, during which the relationship allegedly deepened. It further alleged that both attended several high-profile music concerts together.

Heather stated that she became suspicious in January 2024 after discovering what she described as romantic and explicit messages exchanged between Sinema and her husband via the encrypted Signal messaging application. Some of the messages allegedly suggested an intimate relationship.

The suit also alleged that Sinema financially supported Matthew’s psychedelic-based therapy, reportedly meant to address post-traumatic stress disorder, substance struggles and traumatic brain injuries linked to his military service in Afghanistan and other Middle Eastern deployments.

Court filings further revealed that Heather later uncovered additional messages, including one allegedly sent by Sinema in October 2024, expressing emotional attachment and anticipation of seeing Matthew again.

Following a joint work trip to Saudi Arabia in November 2024, Matthew reportedly moved out of the family home, leading to the couple’s separation.

The lawsuit, which seeks $25,000 in damages, was filed under North Carolina’s “alienation of affection” law, a statute that allows a spouse to sue a third party accused of deliberately causing the breakdown of a marriage.

The case attracted renewed public attention this week after Sinema reportedly filed a motion requesting that the matter be transferred from state court to federal court.

Sinema, a former Democrat who later became an Independent, exited Congress after the 2024 general election, having announced her decision to retire in March 2024.

As of the time of filing this report, Sinema has not issued a public response to the allegations.