Former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is being sued in connection with allegations that she interfered in a former security detail member’s marriage and contributed to its breakup, according to a complaint seeking at least $75,000 in damages. The lawsuit was filed in Moore County, North Carolina, and later moved to federal court, where it will proceed under state law claims available in North Carolina.
Heather Ammel, the ex-wife of Sinema’s former security detail member Matthew Ammel, alleges that she and Ammel had what she described as a “good and loving marriage” with “genuine love and affection” before Sinema interfered. The complaint says Sinema pursued Ammel despite knowing he was married, setting out what the plaintiff frames as actions that undermined the marriage.
The lawsuit alleges that Ammel was hired after he retired from the Army in 2022 to work for Sinema’s security organization. It says he accompanied Sinema on trips, including to destinations such as Napa Valley, California; Las Vegas; and Saudi Arabia.
According to the complaint, the dispute escalated after Ammel’s wife found “romantic and lascivious” messages Ammel had exchanged with Sinema through the Signal messaging app in early 2024. The lawsuit further alleges that Ammel stopped wearing his wedding ring and that Sinema gave him a job as a national security fellow in her Senate office while he continued to work as a bodyguard for her campaign.
The complaint also alleges that Sinema paid for “psychedelic treatment” for Ammel, who claims to have struggled with post-traumatic stress, substance abuse and traumatic brain injuries tied to his military deployments in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Sinema and her attorney did not respond to requests for comment, the Associated Press reported.
North Carolina is one of a handful of states that allow spouses to pursue claims for “alienation of affection,” a cause of action brought against a third party the plaintiff alleges contributed to the breakup of a marriage. Sinema left Congress after the 2024 election, declining to seek reelection to the Senate, and she now works for Hogan Lovells, according to the report.
This is not the only major development in the case; MSI previously reported that Sinema acknowledged aspects of security-guard romance as the North Carolina alienation lawsuit proceeded.