Kyrsten Sinema, the former US senator for Arizona, has admitted in court filings to having a romantic and intimate relationship with a married man who was a member of her security detail. The admission comes in response to a lawsuit filed by Heather Ammel, the man's estranged wife, under North Carolina's so-called 'homewrecker' law, which allows spouses to sue third parties for alienation of affection.
In documents filed on 12 March, Sinema asked a federal judge to dismiss the case, arguing that she has no connection to North Carolina, where the bodyguard, Matthew Joseph Ammel, lived with his wife and children. She said in sworn statements that she was physically intimate with Matthew in four states and Washington DC, but never in North Carolina, and that all their communications occurred while he was outside the state.
Mrs Ammel's lawsuit alleges that Sinema deliberately interfered with her 'good and loving marriage', and that she discovered messages between her husband and the then-senator that were of a 'romantic and lascivious nature'. It also claims Sinema paid for psychedelic treatment for Matthew, a US army veteran who has struggled with post-traumatic stress, substance abuse and traumatic brain injuries.
Sinema denies sending a photo of herself wrapped in a towel and says she has no recollection of suggesting Matthew bring MDMA on a work trip. The case has also highlighted campaign finance concerns, with records showing Sinema's committee paid Matthew more than $100,000 between January and October 2025, and spent funds on hotels in Saudi Arabia and gifts from Taylor Swift's store.
Sinema's motion to dismiss reveals that she joined the Ammel family at a Taylor Swift concert in Miami in October, after which Matthew accompanied her on a trip to Saudi Arabia. The couple later separated. Sinema maintains that the affair unfolded exclusively outside North Carolina, which is one of a few US states that permit such lawsuits.
