Top Senator Accused of Druggy Affair With Married Bodyguard
Kyrsten Sinema divided Democrats during her time in the U.S. Senate. Now he is also accused of separating the husband and wife.
The former Arizona senator is accused of having an extramarital affair with his bodyguard while in office; The affair ultimately led to the collapse of a 14-year marriage, according to a federal lawsuit filed by the bodyguard’s ex-wife.
Filed in North Carolina the suit claims He said Sinema, 49, had long, lustful text exchanges with her former bodyguard Matthew Ammel, sending him photos of herself wrapped in a towel and suggesting he bring MDMA on a business trip so he could “guide her through a psychedelic experience.”
Matthew’s ex-wife, Heather Ammel, is suing Sinema for alienation of affection, a controversial North Carolina law that allows a person to be held liable for malicious interference in a marriage.
Kyrsten Sinema drew the ire of many prominent Democrats while serving in the Senate. /Rod Lamkey – repository via CNP/Getty
About a year after Matthew joined Sinema’s security team, the head of the security team left and warned him that Sinema was “engaging in sexual relationships with other members of security,” according to the complaint.
Heather claims that Matthew suffered from mental health issues stemming from his service in the US Army, and Sinema took advantage of this vulnerability to get close to him, at one point promising to “help” him overcome his struggles. Heather later said she discovered numerous sexually explicit messages between Matthew and a prominent centrist Democrat on the encrypted messaging app Signal. Sinema announced that she will not seek re-election in March 2024.
Sinema left her political post in early 2025. / Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Imag
Sinema was the first Senate member to openly identify as bisexual. /Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
The lawsuit also alleges Sinema paid for Matthew’s psychedelic treatments, brought him to a wedding and showered him with gifts, took him on international vacations, to a Taylor Swift concert, and allegedly bought him a Theragun so he could “work on his back.”
In June 2024, Sinema allegedly offered Matthew a paid staff position as a Defense and Homeland Security officer in his Senate office. Where he works as Matthew’s subordinate.
Heather says she confronted Sinema at the time after seeing the following message on Matthew’s phone: “I miss you. I’m putting my hand on your heart. See you soon.”
Heather responded directly and wrote: “Are you having an affair with my husband? You took a married man away from his family.”
“Before [Sinema’s] deliberate interference in marriage, the existence of genuine love and affection between them [the couple]”It says in the lawsuit:
The Daily Beast has reached out to Sinema representatives for comment. Matthew Ammel could not be reached for comment.
Matthew filed for divorce earlier this month. The AssemblyNC reported.
During his time in the Senate, Sinema was known as a centrist Democrat whose closest relationships in Congress were generally with Republicans rather than members of her own party. He has faced frequent criticism from the left, including Senator Bernie Sanders, who told Stephen Colbert, “I won’t miss Senator Sinema” after announcing he would not seek re-election.
Sinema, now a political consultant for D.C. law firm Hogan Lovells, cited frustration with the state of American politics as a reason for her decision, saying: “Even as we modernize our infrastructure, provide clean water, deliver good jobs and safer communities, Americans still choose to retreat further into their partisan corners.” He added that compromise had become a “dirty word”.
