Kyrsten Sinema divided Democrats during her time in the United States Senate. Now she is accused of dividing man and woman as well.
The former Arizona senator is accused of having an extramarital affair with her bodyguard while in office—an alleged affair that ultimately led to the collapse of a 14-year marriage, according to a federal lawsuit filed by the bodyguard’s ex-wife.
Filed in North Carolina, the lawsuit alleges that Sinema, 49, engaged in long and heated text exchanges with her former bodyguard, Matthew Ammel, including sending photos of herself wrapped in a towel and suggesting he bring MDMA on a work trip so she could “guide him through a psychedelic experience.”
Heather Ammel, Matthew’s ex-wife, is suing Sinema for alienation of affection, a controversial North Carolina law that allows a person to be held liable for malicious interference with a marriage.
Kyrsten Sinema drew the ire of many prominent Democrats while serving in the Senate. / Rod Lamkey – Pool via CNP/Getty
About a year after Matthew joined Sinema’s security detail, the head of her security team left and warned him that Sinema “was having sexual relations with other members of security,” according to the complaint.
Heather alleges that Matthew suffered from mental health challenges stemming from his service in the US Army, and that Sinema exploited his vulnerability to get closer to him—at one point promising to “help” him work through his struggles. Heather says she later discovered dozens of sexually charged messages between Matthew and the prominent Democratic centrist on the encrypted messaging app Signal. Sinema announced in March 2024 that it would not seek re-election.
Sinema left her political office in early 2025. / Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Imag
Sinema was the first bisexual member in the Senate. / Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
The lawsuit further claims that Sinema paid for Matthew’s psychedelic treatments, brought him to a wedding, and bought him gifts: took him on international vacations, to a Taylor Swift concert, and allegedly bought a Theragun so she could “work on his back.”
In June 2024, Sinema allegedly offered Matthew a paid staff position in her Senate office as a Defense and National Security fellow, where he worked as her subordinate.
Around that time, Heather says she confronted Sinema after seeing a text message on Matthew’s phone that read: “I miss you. Put my hand on your heart. See you soon.”
Heather responded directly, writing: “Are you having an affair with my husband? I took a married man from his family.”
“Before [Sinema’s] intentional interference in marriage, genuine love and affection exist between them [the couple],” the lawsuit says.
The Daily Beast has reached out to Sinema representatives for comment. Matthew Ammel could not be reached for comment.
Matthew filed for divorce earlier this month, TheAssemblyNC reported.
During her tenure in the Senate, Sinema was known as a centrist Democrat whose closest relationships in Congress were often with Republicans rather than members of her own party. She has often drawn criticism from the left, including Senator Bernie Sanders, who told Stephen Colbert, “I’m not going to lose Senema Sinema,” after she announced she would not seek re-election.
Sinema, now a political consultant at the DC law firm Hogan Lovells, cited frustration with the state of American politics as one reason for her decision, saying: “Despite modernizing our infrastructure, ensuring clean water, delivering good jobs and safer communities, Americans still choose to retreat further into their partisan corners.” She added that compromise has become a “dirty word.”