Former senator Kyrsten Sinema acknowledged in a recent court filing that she had a “romantic and intimate” relationship with a married member of her security detail while serving in the United States Senate.
The admission came as part of a lawsuit filed by Heather Ammel, who alleges that Sinema’s relationship with her then-husband, Matthew Ammel, contributed to the breakdown of their 14-year marriage. Matthew Ammel served as a bodyguard assigned to Sinema during her time in office.
According to reporting from Fox 10 Phoenix, the lawsuit was originally filed in late 2025 before being transferred to federal court in North Carolina in January.
In a sworn declaration submitted to the court, Sinema did not deny the relationship. Instead, her attorneys argued that the North Carolina court lacks jurisdiction because the alleged relationship occurred entirely outside the state. Heather Ammel’s complaint seeks $25,000 in damages and accuses Sinema of intentionally interfering in the marriage, according to Fox News.
Court filings cited by the Associated Press state that the relationship allegedly began in May 2024 in California and continued during encounters in New York, Colorado, Arizona, and Washington, D.C.. The two also communicated through phone calls, emails, and the encrypted messaging platform Signal.
According to the lawsuit, Heather Ammel discovered the relationship after interrupting a conversation between the two on Signal and confronting Sinema directly.
The original complaint also includes additional allegations about the relationship, including claims that Sinema paid for expensive solo trips for Matthew Ammel and covered the cost of psychedelic therapy sessions for him. The lawsuit further alleges she encouraged him to bring MDMA on a work trip so she could facilitate a drug experience for him.
The filing also claims a former senior official responsible for Sinema’s security detail raised concerns in 2023 about alleged inappropriate relationships involving members of the protection team.
Heather Ammel’s lawsuit states that her husband suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries linked to his service in the United States Army.
The case is proceeding under a legal concept known as “alienation of affection,” a type of lawsuit that allows a spouse to seek damages from a third party accused of interfering in a marriage. North Carolina is among the few states where such claims are still recognized in court. According to local outlet WRAL, some cases that have gone to trial under the law have resulted in multimillion-dollar verdicts.
The court will now determine whether North Carolina has jurisdiction to hear the case before deciding whether it can proceed further.
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