Former Sen Sinema sued for alleged breaking up bodyguard's marriage
Matthew Ammel allegedly exchanged “romantic and lascivious” messages with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema before he stopped wearing his wedding ring, per the lawsuit
The ex-wife of Kyrsten Sinema's bodyguard is suing the former Arizona senator for allegedly breaking up their marriage.
Matthew and Heather Ammel had “a good and loving marriage” with “genuine love and affection” before Sinema pursued Matthew Ammel, despite knowing he was married, Heather Ammel alleged in her lawsuit against the former senator, according to the Associated Press.
Sinema's head of security hired Ammel after he retired from the Army in 2022, according to the lawsuit, which also states he accompanied the then-senator on her travels to destinations such as Napa Valley, Calif., Las Vegas, and Saudi Arabia.
Ammel’s wife in 2024 discovered “romantic and lascivious” messages he had allegedly exchanged with Sinema over the Signal messaging app. Then, in the summer, he stopped wearing his wedding ring, and Sinema gave him a job as a national security fellow in her Senate office while he continued to work for her campaign as a bodyguard, the lawsuit alleges.
Sinema allegedly paid for psychedelic treatment for Ammel, who has struggled with post-traumatic stress, substance abuse, and traumatic brain injuries related to his military deployments in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the Middle East, according to the lawsuit.
Sinema and her attorney did not respond to the wire service's requests for comment.
The lawsuit was filed late last year in Moore County, N.C., but was discovered this week when it was moved to federal court.
North Carolina is one of a few states that allows spouses to sue for “alienation of affection” to seek damages from a third party responsible for the breakup of their marriage.
Sinema retired from Congress after the 2024 election and now works for the Washington-based legal and lobbying firm Hogan Lovells, where she has lobbied for data center development and research funding for the psychedelic drug ibogaine.