Former US Senator Kyrsten Sinema is facing a lawsuit from the ex-wife of a member of her security detail, who alleges the lawmaker had a romantic relationship with her husband that led to the breakdown of their marriage.
Heather Ammel is seeking at least $75,000 in damages from Sinema, who served as an independent senator for Arizona until January 2025.
Ammel’s legal filing claimed that she and Matthew Ammel shared “a good and loving marriage” marked by “genuine love and affection” until Sinema allegedly intervened, pursuing her bodyguard despite her awareness of his marital status.
The lawsuit details that the lawmaker’s head of security employed Ammel following his retirement from the Army in 2022. He subsequently accompanied Sinema on various trips, including to Napa Valley, Las Vegas, and Saudi Arabia.
Early in 2024, Heather Ammel reportedly uncovered “romantic and lascivious” messages exchanged between her husband and Sinema via the Signal app.
By that summer, her husband had ceased wearing his wedding ring, and Sinema reportedly appointed him as a national security fellow in her Senate office, even as he continued his role as a bodyguard for her campaign, the legal document claims.
Sinema also paid for psychedelic treatment for Ammel, who has struggled with post-traumatic stress, substance abuse and traumatic brain injuries tied to his military deployments in Afghanistan and the Middle East, according to the lawsuit.
Sinema and her attorney did not respond to requests for comment.
The lawsuit was quietly filed late in 2025 in Moore County, North Carolina. It captured global attention this week when it was moved to federal court.
North Carolina is one of a handful of states that allow jilted spouses to sue for “alienation of affection” to seek damages from a third party responsible for the breakup of their marriage.
Sinema left Congress after the 2024 election. She declined to seek reelection to the Senate, capping a tumultuous single term in which she alienated liberals and left the Democratic Party to become an independent.
She now works for the Washington-based legal and lobbying firm Hogan Lovells. She has lobbied for data center development and research funding for the psychedelic drug ibogaine.
