Former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is named in a North Carolina civil lawsuit brought by Heather Ammel, who alleges Sinema had a romantic and sexual relationship with Ammel’s then-husband, Matthew Ammel, while he worked on Sinema’s security detail. The complaint—first filed in September 2025 and later docketed in federal court in January 2026—seeks more than $25,000 in damages under the state’s “alienation of affection” statute.
Former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has been sued in North Carolina under the state’s “alienation of affection” law, a rarely used cause of action that allows a spouse to seek damages from an alleged third-party who helped end a marriage. (dailywire.com)
Heather Ammel alleges in the complaint that Sinema intentionally interfered in her marriage to Matthew Ammel, a former member of Sinema’s security detail. The Daily Wire reported that the couple separated in November 2024 and that the complaint was filed in September 2025 before later resurfacing in court filings. (dailywire.com) Bloomberg Law also reports the case was filed in federal court in mid-January 2026. (news.bloomberglaw.com)
According to The Daily Wire’s account of the complaint, Matthew Ammel joined Sinema’s security team in 2022. The complaint further alleges that Sinema’s head of security left in fall 2023 after expressing concern that Sinema was having sexual relationships with other security personnel, and that Ammel stayed in the job for financial reasons despite being advised to leave. (dailywire.com)
The lawsuit alleges Sinema hired Ammel as a Defense and National Security Fellow in her Senate office while he also served as her personal security guard. It describes frequent communications—by text, in person and via Signal—that the complaint characterizes as emotionally romantic or sexual, along with meetings outside professional settings and allegations that Sinema encouraged Ammel to leave his wife. (dailywire.com)
The complaint also alleges that in spring or early summer 2024, Ammel stopped wearing his wedding ring, citing “public optics” when attending concerts and other public outings with Sinema. The Daily Wire reported that the complaint mentions events including U2 concerts and the Extra Innings Festival, where the plaintiff alleges Sinema was “handsy” with Ammel. (dailywire.com)
Among the messages described in the complaint, The Daily Wire reported an exchange in which Sinema—described as “wrapped in a towel”—allegedly suggested Ammel bring MDMA on a work trip so she could guide him through a “psychedelic experience” connected to his mental-health challenges. (dailywire.com) Bloomberg Law similarly reported that the suit alleges Sinema encouraged Ammel to use MDMA and that Sinema offered to guide him through a psychedelic experience. (news.bloomberglaw.com)
The Daily Wire also reported that the complaint includes other messages attributed to Sinema, including a statement about skipping the State of the Union because she did not need to listen to “some old man, President Biden,” and an exchange in which Sinema allegedly responded to a crude comment about a “F*ck the troops” chant by saying she would “f*ck the hot ones.” (dailywire.com) These allegations remain unproven and are presented in the filing as the plaintiff’s account.
Sinema joined the law firm Hogan Lovells as a senior adviser in March 2025, according to Reuters and a Hogan Lovells announcement. (reuters.com) The Daily Wire said it sought comment from Sinema and attempted to reach Matthew Ammel but did not receive responses. (dailywire.com)
