Former Senator Kyrsten Sinema Accused of Affair With Member of Security Team

In a lawsuit, the ex-wife of Ms. Sinema’s onetime staff member accused her of showering him with gifts and breaking up their marriage.

New York Times gift link:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/us/politics/kyrsten-sinema-affair-lawsuit.html?unlocked_article_code=1.E1A.rpqq.h-qmmg5RyFCr&smid=nytcore-ios-share

Excerpt:

Former Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, the Democrat turned independent who served one term before leaving office last year, was accused in federal court this week of conducting an affair with a member of her Senate security team, a married father of three.

In a complaint filed in North Carolina, the ex-wife of Matthew Ammel, who worked on Ms. Sinema’s staff for two years, accused the former senator of seducing him and breaking up their marriage.

Heather Ammel claimed in her suit that Ms. Sinema sent Mr. Ammel sexually suggestive photographs on Signal, the encrypted messaging app; chose him to accompany her on trips to Napa Valley and to the Sphere, an events venue, in Las Vegas; paid for him to enter psychedelic treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and other issues; encouraged him to bring drugs on work trips so she could guide him through a psychedelic trip; showered him with gifts and concert tickets; and eventually entered into a sexual relationship with him that caused him to leave his family.

A spokeswoman and a lawyer for Ms. Sinema did not respond to requests for comment. Mr. Ammel could not be reached for comment.