Heather Ammel, the ex-wife of a member of former Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema‘s security detail, is suing Sinema for having an affair with Ammel’s ex-husband, Matthew, causing the breakdown of their marriage.
Matthew Ammel began serving as Sinema’s security detail beginning in 2022 and Heather is suing Sinema under a North Carolina statute called alienation of affection, a legal claim that allows spouses to seek damages when a third party is alleged to have maliciously interfered in a marriage. Ammel is seeking monetary compensation for the harm she says was caused to her marriage by Sinema.
According to the legal complaint, Sinema and Ammel’s relationship began soon after the former Army veteran joined her security team. The suit alleges that what began as a professional relationship evolved into frequent private communication via encrypted Signal messages that “exceeded the bounds of a normal working relationship” and were “of romantic and lascivious nature.”
In one instance, the complaint asserts that Heather Ammel found messages between Sinema and her husband that referenced intimate content and included a photo of Sinema wrapped in a towel.
The lawsuit also claims Sinema took Ammel on numerous trips and outings that blurred the line between professional duty and personal intimacy. These reportedly included concerts, festivals, and social events, where the pair were allegedly seen together in ways the complaint characterizes as more than collegial.
The more explicit allegations accuse Sinema of encouraging Ammel to bring the recreational drug MDMA on a work-related trip, telling him she wanted to “guide him through a psychedelic experience,” actions Ammel’s wife argues exploited his mental health struggles stemming from military service.
According to the suit, Sinema also purchased personal gifts for Ammel, including a Theragun massager and other items, and paid for psychedelic treatment, further deepening their personal connection beyond the scope of a professional relationship.
Heather Ammel’s complaint alleges these interactions directly led to the deterioration of her marriage of 14 years. The couple separated in late 2024, and she is now seeking more than $25,000 in damages in part because of the alleged emotional suffering and financial harm tied to her husband’s separation from the family.
Sinema, who represented Arizona in the U.S. Senate from 2019 until she left office in early 2025, has not publicly responded to the lawsuit, and her legal team has declined comment according to multiple reports. In public life, Sinema made history as the first openly bisexual senator and was known for her independent streak, often breaking with her party on key votes and policy positions.
After departing the Senate, Sinema began working as a lobbyist, including work in the cryptocurrency industry. Alienation-of-affection claims are rare and permitted in only a handful of U.S. states. Such suits require proof that a third party’s intentional actions directly caused the breakdown of a marriage, a high bar that typically hinges on detailed evidence and testimony.
