Kyrsten Sinema has admitted in a sworn declaration that she had a romantic relationship with her former bodyguard, Matthew Ammel. The admission was made as part of a motion to dismiss an alienation-of-affection lawsuit filed in North Carolina seeking more than $75,000. Sinema’s defense argues the court lacks personal jurisdiction because the alleged encounters and all related communications took place outside North Carolina. The suit also includes other allegations Sinema denies, and the court will decide whether to dismiss the case.
Kyrsten Sinema Admits Affair With Former Bodyguard as North Carolina Suit Seeks $75K+
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema arrives for the votes in the Senate to keep the government open on Feb. 14, 2019.Credit: Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via Getty
Former Arizona senator Kyrsten Sinema has acknowledged a romantic relationship with her former bodyguard, Matthew Ammel, in a sworn declaration filed with a motion to dismiss an alienation of affection lawsuit brought by Ammel’s ex-wife, Heather Ammel.
Background: Heather Ammel filed the suit in North Carolina in September 2025 under the state's alienation of affection statute, which allows a spouse to sue a third party for intentionally interfering in a marriage. The complaint accuses Sinema and Matthew of engaging in "repeated episodes of sexual intercourse" while Matthew was married and seeks more than $75,000 in damages.
Sinema's Admission: In the sworn declaration, Sinema said the relationship with Matthew "became romantic and intimate" at the end of May 2024. She wrote:
"On May 27, 2024, while Mr. Ammel was on a security detail for me in Sonoma, CA, we were physically intimate for the first time. Thereafter, we were physically intimate in mid-June in New York City, NY, in mid-July in Washington, DC, in late-August in Aspen, CO, in late-September in Washington, DC, and in early-October in Phoenix, AZ."
Defense Argument: Sinema’s attorney, Steven B. Epstein, asks the North Carolina court to dismiss the case for lack of personal jurisdiction. The motion contends that none of the alleged intimate encounters occurred in North Carolina and that "100%" of telephone and email communications between Sinema and Matthew during the relevant period occurred while Matthew was physically located outside North Carolina. The filing says Sinema has documentation for each call and message and that none occurred while Matthew was in North Carolina.
Allegations and Denials: The complaint alleges the relationship began while Matthew was married and that Heather and Matthew separated in 2024 after 14 years of marriage; Heather later filed for divorce. The January complaint also included an allegation that Sinema suggested Matthew, an Army veteran, take MDMA to ease symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder — a claim Sinema says she has "no recollection" of making.
Legal Context: The filings have drawn attention both to the alienation-of-affection claim itself and to ethics questions. A 2018 House resolution bars members of the House of Representatives from having sexual relationships with staff; there is no comparable Senate-wide prohibition. Sinema, an independent who represented Arizona in the Senate for six years, is not subject to a Senate-wide ban of that nature.
What’s Next: The court will consider Sinema’s motion to dismiss. Heather Ammel’s attorney, Thomas Van Camp, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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