Kyrsten Sinema named in lawsuit over alleged affair with bodyguard

Heather Ammel has launched a legal battle against former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, accusing her of shattering a 14-year marriage through an alleged affair with Ammel’s ex-husband, Matthew Ammel.

Filed in North Carolina, a state that permits claims under its “homewrecker law,” the lawsuit seeks damages exceeding $25,000 from Sinema for allegedly alienating Matthew’s affections, filed in September and reaching federal court on Wednesday, with the couple separating in November 2024.

Unpacking the Allegations Against Sinema

The issue has sparked intense debate over personal conduct and accountability, especially for public figures like Sinema who once held significant influence in the Senate.

Let’s rewind to 2022, when Matthew Ammel, a veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries from Middle East deployments, joined Sinema’s security team, the New York Post reported.

According to the lawsuit, trouble brewed within a year, with claims that Sinema’s former head of security resigned over concerns of inappropriate relationships with team members.

Trips and Texts Raise Eyebrows

The lawsuit paints a troubling picture, alleging Sinema and Matthew took trips worldwide, including one to Napa Valley, California, that reportedly looked like a romantic escape to observers.

Heather claims communication between the two escalated, with Matthew allegedly using Signal to exchange romantic and explicit messages with Sinema, even while at home with his children.

One such message reportedly included a photo of Sinema wrapped in a towel, a detail that raises questions about the boundaries of their relationship.

Psychedelics and Personal Gifts Alleged

Adding fuel to the fire, the lawsuit asserts Sinema encouraged Matthew to try MDMA, known as ecstasy or molly, often dubbed the “love drug,” while offering to assist with his mental health struggles.

This comes alongside Sinema’s public advocacy for psychedelic therapeutic treatments since leaving the Senate last January, a stance that now seems intertwined with these personal allegations.

The suit also claims Sinema showered Matthew with gifts, paid for his psychedelic treatments, and invited him to events like a wedding and a Taylor Swift concert.

Damaging Claims of Intentional Harm

Heather’s filing pulls no punches, stating, “Beginning in or prior to 2023, Defendant, with actual knowledge of the Marriage … began to willfully and intentionally seduce, entice, and alienate the affections of Mr. Ammel,” as quoted in the lawsuit.

Such a charge under North Carolina’s unique law isn’t just about hurt feelings—it’s a legal claim that Sinema deliberately undermined a marriage, a notion that grates against traditional values of family integrity.

Then there’s the raw detail from the lawsuit: “As a direct and proximate result of [Sinema’s] intentional and unlawful actions, such marital love and affection was alienated and destroyed,” a statement that underscores the profound loss Heather alleges.