(Ken Silva, Headline USA) Former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s one-time bodyguard and lover has reportedly been arrested for breaking into her home and damaging $200,000 worth of artwork and expensive alcohol. The incident comes as Sinema faces a lawsuit from the bodyguard, Matthew Ammel’s, ex-wife for having an affair with him and breaking up her family.
NBC News reported Thursday that the incident took place on Aug. 30 while Sinema was away from her Arizona home.
“Ammel, 39, allegedly contacted Sinema and demanded that she post a video to her X account. He told her that if she declined to do so, he would damage a painting every 10 minutes,” NBC reported, citing court records.
“Sinema told law enforcement officers that she refused, prompting Ammel to take down about 22 paintings and throw them into the swimming pool.”
Ammel was reportedly arrested last week after being released from a mental health facility. His initial court appearance is set for early October.
Meanwhile, Sinema faces legal action from his ex-wife, Heather Ammel, who is suing Sinema for “alienation of affection”—a North Carolina law that says someone can be held financially liable for initiating an affair.
Sinema has acknowledged having a romantic relationship with Matthew Ammel but argued that she can’t be sued in North Carolina because she has no connection to the state.
However, U.S. District Judge David A. Bragdon rejected that argument earlier this month, saying nine text messages she sent Ammel while he was in the state give North Carolina jurisdiction over her. That means the case may proceed to trial.
Depositions from the Ammels’ divorce and ensuing legal battle with Sinema reveal Matthew’s apparent mental health struggles. At one point while being deposed by Heather’s lawyer, Matthew started recounting the horrors he experienced as a U.S. Special Forces operator in Afghanistan.
If you read this guy's deposition you'd know this isn't surprising at all. https://t.co/o5YVNYufl7 pic.twitter.com/tDKF8EV4tx
— Ken Silva (@JD_Cashless) September 25, 2026
“You sit there and listen to—for a f—— hour to a fucking 10-year-old boy get butt-f—–,” Matthew said at one point.
At another point, Matthew said he watched his “best friend try and snap and Al Qaeda sniper’s neck with his bare hands and then [had] the guy’s wife pick a newborn baby off the floor and throw it across the room at me.”
Those and other statements prompted Heather’s lawyer to ask him if he was on any “impairing substances.” Matthew responded by saying that he took Armour Thyroid and had about four cups of coffee, but that was it.’
Matthew wound up losing custody of his children.
A pretrial conference for the Ammel/Sinema lawsuit is set for October 22.
Ken Silva is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.
