Former U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema admits romantic relationship with security guard amid ex-wife lawsuit

Former U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema has acknowledged a romantic relationship with her security guard Matthew Ammel, sparking legal controversy as his ex-wife Heather Ammel pursues a lawsuit alleging the relationship destroyed their marriage.

“Sinema admits a romance with her security guard as she fights ex-wife’s lawsuit RALEIGH, N”

Associated Press

Sinema, who represented Arizona in both the U.S. House and Senate before becoming an independent, admitted in legal documents that she and Ammel began a romantic relationship in May 2024, which escalated into physical intimacy over the following months.

Associated Press

The lawsuit, filed in Moore County, North Carolina in September 2025, accuses Sinema of 'intentional and malicious interference' with the marriage, seeking damages under North Carolina's 'alienation of affection' statute.

This legal battle has emerged amid Sinema's controversial political career, marked by her departure from the Democratic Party and her role in blocking President Biden's agenda during her time in office.

The timeline of Sinema's relationship with Matthew Ammel reveals a complex progression from professional to intimate interaction.

According to court documents, Sinema and Ammel became romantically involved at the end of May 2024, with the relationship becoming physically intimate over subsequent months.

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Their encounters occurred across multiple states including California, New York, Colorado, Arizona, and Washington, D.C.

The relationship began shortly after Ammel started working for Sinema in 2022 as part of her security detail after he retired from the Army.

By mid-2024, Ammel had reportedly stopped wearing his wedding ring, telling his wife it was better for 'public optics' so 'it wouldn't look like [Sinema] was putting her hands on a married man.'

The couple eventually separated in November 2024, though Sinema's legal team argues the marriage was already over when her relationship with Ammel intensified.

Sinema's legal team is challenging the jurisdiction of North Carolina courts in the case, arguing that the relationship was 'exclusively outside of North Carolina.'

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CTV News

In a motion to dismiss filed this week, Sinema's attorney Steven Epstein asserted that nearly all communications between the two occurred when both were outside North Carolina.

The only communication from when Ammel was in the state was in October 2024, after he had already moved out of his wife's residence.

Epstein contends that Sinema's 'conduct related to her romantic relationship with Mr. Ammel does not connect her to North Carolina in a meaningful way,' adding that no jury would believe that a single message sent 'had any bearing on the destruction of marital love and affection.'

This legal strategy raises questions about the enforceability of North Carolina's 'alienation of affection' statute, which is one of only a handful of U.S. states that permit such lawsuits allowing aggrieved spouses to seek damages from third parties deemed responsible for marital dissolution.

Heather Ammel's lawsuit contains specific allegations about inappropriate conduct and communications between Sinema and her husband.

Court documents detail that Heather discovered messages between Sinema and Matthew on the encrypted Signal messaging app in early 2024 that were of 'romantic and lascivious natures.'

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The texts reportedly 'exceeded the bounds of a normal working relationship.'

The lawsuit also includes specific incidents of alleged misconduct, including when Sinema reportedly asked Ammel to 'bring MDMA drugs on a work trip' so she could 'guide him through a psychedelic experience.'

Another instance details when Sinema attended the Innings Festival where she reportedly became 'handsy with him,' and a trip to San Francisco where the two 'stayed together for hours.'

The lawsuit also mentions Sinema attending a U2 concert at the Sphere in Las Vegas in December 2023 with Ammel, who had initially presented the trip as a 'gift' to his wife before joining her for a drink afterward.

Heather Ammel is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages under North Carolina law.

The legal battle has placed Sinema, who declined to seek re-election to the Senate in 2024, back in the national spotlight following her controversial political career.

“Former US Senator Kyrsten Sinema has acknowledged a romantic relationship with a member of her security detail, which began while she was a lawmaker”

The Independent

Sinema was elected to the Senate as a Democrat but gained national attention primarily for blocking President Biden's agenda, particularly on voting rights and other key legislative priorities.

The Independent

She eventually left the Democratic Party to register as an independent, a move that significantly impacted Democratic control of the Senate.

The current lawsuit adds another chapter to Sinema's often controversial tenure, which was already 'mired in controversy' according to one source.

The case also highlights the unusual nature of North Carolina's 'alienation of affection' laws, which are increasingly rare in the United States.

The lawsuit was initially filed in September in North Carolina state court but was moved to federal court in January, adding another layer of complexity to the legal proceedings that will determine whether Sinema can be held liable for the breakdown of Matthew and Heather Ammel's 14-year marriage.