Kyrsten Sinema Terminated Her Campaign Committee — But Not Before It Made More Curious Payments

A man accused in legal proceedings by his estranged wife of having an affair with former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema received nearly $9,000 in October from Sinema’s old campaign committee, a new disclosure with the Federal Election Commission indicates.

Matthew J. Ammel, who has worked as a security guard for Sinema, received a “payroll” payment of $1,815.91 on Oct. 15 and a $7,136.14 payment on Oct. 31, according to Sinema for Arizona’s filing Saturday.

In all, Sinema for Arizona and Sinema’s separate political action committee paid Ammel more than $128,000 between July 2024 and October 2025, according to FEC spending records.

Sinema’s filing also indicates that the former senator has officially terminated her Sinema for Arizona committee, which last year spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on expenses that seemingly had little to do with electoral politics.

These expenses included “health services” for a member or members of her security detail, and various airline, concert and event tickets, as well as meals and lodging. And they occurred after Sinema left elected office in January 2025 and followed other unorthodox campaign outlays in the waning days of Sinema’s government service, such as hotels in Saudi Arabia, wine and “gifts” from Taylor Swift’s official gift store.

The committee reported refunding nearly $600,000 to former donors and spending nearly $200,000 on a variety of other expenses between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, including salary payments and airfare. It also told the FEC it had a “cash on hand discrepancy” of $5,130, and it “disgorged the unidentified funds” to the U.S. Treasury on Dec. 3.

Sinema, who represented Arizona as a Democrat before becoming an independent, has offered no indication she intends to seek office again. In March, she took a job with law firm Hogan Lovells.

Ammel’s wife, Heather Ammel, filed a lawsuit in North Carolina against Sinema, alleging that the former senator destroyed their marriage. The lawsuit also alleges that Sinema bought Ammel numerous gifts and concert tickets and encouraged Ammel to use drugs, in part to aid him with psychedelic treatments she allegedly bankrolled.

The lawsuit, originally filed in September and since moved to federal district court, springs from a North Carolina law that allows spouses to sue for “alienation of affection.” Matthew Ammel has reportedly filed for divorce from Heather Ammel.

Sinema could not immediately be reached for comment through her office or attorney.