Former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has detailed a series of sexual encounters with her then-married ex-bodyguard, Matthew Ammel, during a deposition for a "homewrecker" lawsuit filed by his ex-wife. The lawsuit, brought by Heather Ammel, seeks over $75,000 in damages.
Sinema, who served as an independent from Arizona, admitted to having sex with Ammel multiple times in various locations across the United States. The first encounter occurred around Memorial Day in 2024, according to court records from the deposition held on July 31. Sinema stated that the initial sexual encounter took place at an Airbnb in Napa, California, after Ammel kissed her.
Matter Ammel's ex-wife, Heather Ammel, initiated the lawsuit in North Carolina, utilizing the state's "homewrecker law," which allows spouses to sue individuals involved in extramarital affairs with their partners. Sinema, 50, later moved the case to federal court in January, arguing that the affair took place outside of North Carolina.
Heather Ammel also alleges that Sinema influenced her ex-husband's use of psychedelics, purportedly to aid him in managing brain injuries and mental health issues stemming from his military deployments. Sinema, in her deposition, acknowledged a connection to these issues, stating, "I cared about Matt. Matt and several other of the members of the security team suffered from traumatic brain injury."
Following the Napa encounter, Sinema and Ammel reportedly had further sexual relations in New York City during a wedding, in Sinema's Washington D.C. apartment, in Colorado during a fundraising trip in August 2024, and at her home in Phoenix in October 2024. Sinema expressed uncertainty about a subsequent encounter in September 2024, as claimed by Matthew Ammel in his deposition.
Sinema confirmed that she became aware of Ammel's marital status and his three children in December 2023. Heather Ammel testified that she discovered the affair through text messages on her husband's phone, including one from Sinema that read, "I hope your day was okay. Thinking of you. I am with you. I keep waking up during my sleep and reaching over for your arms to hold me."
Matter Ammel and Heather Ammel divorced in November 2024, with their divorce finalized in March of the current year. An evidentiary hearing in the federal case is scheduled for August 19.