Kyrsten Sinema’s former bodyguard and lover, Matthew Ammel, has requested that the former senator pay his jail bond, despite allegedly threatening to “take her down.” The demand comes a month after Ammel reportedly caused more than $200,000 in damages to Sinema’s home.
Ammel, 39, is currently held on a $25,000 bond in Buckeye, Arizona. His court appearance for the alleged destruction of Sinema’s home in late August is scheduled for October 15. Ammel had reportedly attributed his rage at the time to being angered by the U.S. political system.
According to court documents filed by Sinema’s lawyer, Colleen Clase, Ammel allegedly violated a no-contact order by having a bail bondsman contact Sinema to ask her to post his bond. Clase stated in the filing that this constitutes "indirect contact, witness harassment and intimidation" and raises significant concerns given prior threats made against Sinema’s life. It is unclear when this contact occurred.
Prosecutors are seeking to increase Ammel’s bond to a cash-only $100,000 due to the alleged threats. Clase argued for Ammel’s case to be made non-bondable or for the bond to be significantly higher than its current amount, citing Ammel’s criminal history and the need to protect Sinema and the community.
Ammel was arrested on September 29 after his GPS monitor indicated he was in a Cheesecake Factory parking lot in Phoenix, violating his release conditions. He had reportedly left a knife to be engraved as a gift for his nephew but was not permitted to possess a blade under his release terms.
Investigators also learned that Ammel allegedly attempted to purchase a firearm, threatened to “take down” Sinema, and made threats against a judge in North Carolina. Prosecutors claim Ammel contacted military associates to build a rifle, acquired tactical gear, and discussed funeral arrangements.
He also failed to appear for his scheduled arraignment.
Ammel, who joined Sinema’s security detail in 2022 and subsequently began a relationship with her before her divorce was finalized, allegedly caused the extensive damage to her home while she was traveling. He reportedly stated that he trashed the house after Sinema refused to post a video of soldiers assisting a wounded individual in Iraq and to investigate why his unit did not receive the Presidential Unit Citation. Ammel admitted to drinking during the incident and allegedly threatened to destroy Sinema’s artwork if she did not comply. Ultimately, he is accused of damaging 22 paintings, throwing them into her swimming pool, and destroying other items, including expensive alcohol bottles and a mirror, bringing the total damages to over $200,000.
Sinema’s relationship with Ammel became public after his ex-wife filed a lawsuit under North Carolina's "homewrecker law," accusing Sinema of destroying her marriage. Sinema has reportedly admitted to having a sexual relationship with Ammel across various cities starting around Memorial Day 2024.