Former Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s former bodyguard and romantic partner was arrested earlier this month in Maricopa County after allegedly breaking into her home and damaging $200,000 worth of artwork and expensive alcohol.
uncertain
bodyguard → arrest → artwork
The incident took place on Aug. 30 while Sinema was out of town, according to charging documents.
uncertain
Sinema → take → documents
Matthew Ammel, 39, allegedly contacted Sinema and demanded that she post a video to her X account.
uncertain
she → contact → account
He told her that if she declined to do so, he would damage a painting every 10 minutes, according to the documents.
uncertain
he → tell → documents
Sinema told law enforcement officers that she refused, prompting Ammel to take down about 22 paintings and throw them into the swimming pool, according to a probable cause statement.
uncertain
she → tell → statement
One of the paintings was spray-painted with black lettering and left near the front entrance, Sinema told authorities.
asserted
Sinema → paint → authorities
She also reported finding shards of glass from broken alcohol bottles scattered throughout her house and inside the pool.
asserted
She → report → pool
Ammel was arrested Sept. 17 after being released from a mental health facility, according to the probable cause document.
uncertain
Ammel → arrest → document
It was not immediately clear when Ammel entered the facility or why he was admitted.
asserted
he → enter → facility
He was charged with aggravated criminal damage and has been released on his own recognizance.
asserted
He → charge → recognizance
Ammel is due to appear in court in early October.
asserted
Ammel → appear → October
It is not clear whether Ammel has retained a lawyer.
asserted
Ammel → retain → lawyer
This is not the first time Sinema and Ammel have made headlines.
asserted
Sinema → make → headlines
Earlier this month, a North Carolina judge ruled that the former senator could be sued under the state’s “home-wrecker” law over her relationship with Ammel, who was married at the time of their relationship.
uncertain
who → rule → relationship
North Carolina is one of a handful of states that allow spurned spouses to sue for “alienation of affection” and to seek compensation from a third party responsible for the breakup of their marriage.
asserted
spouses → allow → marriage
The law gives aggrieved spouses up to three years to sue.
asserted
law → give → years
Proceedings are separate from divorces, and jilted spouses must show that the accused “took steps that a reasonable person would expect and did result in the ending of the affectionate marriage between the couple,” according to Cornell Law School.
uncertain
person → jilt → School
In 2025, a North Carolina influencer was ordered to pay $1.75 million for destroying her manager’s marriage, WRAL reported.
asserted
WRAL → order → marriage
Sinema acknowledged the affair but argued she has no connection to the state and cannot be sued there.
asserted
she → acknowledge → state
U.S. District Judge David A. Bragdon rejected that argument, pointing to nine text messages she sent Ammel while he was in North Carolina.
asserted
he → reject → Carolina
The judge said the suit can move forward.
asserted
suit → say → ?
The lawsuit, filed by Ammel’s ex-wife, seeks financial damages from Sinema.
asserted
lawsuit → file → Sinema
According to the complaint, the Ammels had “a good and loving marriage” with “genuine love and affection” before Sinema pursued Matthew Ammel despite knowing he was married.
uncertain
he → accord → Ammel
Matthew Ammel joined Sinema’s security team after retiring from the Army in 2022.
asserted
Ammel → join → 2022
He accompanied her on domestic and foreign travel for several years, according to court records, and was later given a position as national security fellow in her Senate office while he continued to work as her bodyguard.
uncertain
he → accompany → bodyguard
The Aporia
