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Artem Chigvintsev Breaks Silence on Domestic Violence Arrest After Nikki Bella Divorce Filing
Artem Chigvintsev broke his silence on his domestic violence arrest two weeks after his wife, Nikki Garcia (formerly known as Nikki Bella), filed for divorce.
“I am incredibly relieved and grateful that the domestic violence charges against me have been dropped,” the Russia native, 42, told E! News in a statement on Wednesday, September 25. “This has been an extremely difficult time for me. I am thankful that the truth has prevailed.”
The domestic violence charges against Artem were dropped one day prior.
“Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley announced today that her office has declined to file criminal charges against Artem Chigvintsev, in connection with his arrest on suspicion of felony domestic violence,” the Tuesday, September 24, press release read. “The decision to not file charges against Mr. Chigvintsev was made after a thorough review of the criminal investigation and careful evaluation of the evidence presented to the DA’s Office.”
The former Dancing With the Stars pro made headlines when he was booked on a felony domestic violence charge in Napa County, California, on August 29. The victim in the altercation has not been confirmed, though he was booked on California penal code 273.5(a). The code “makes it illegal to injure a spouse, cohabitant or fellow parent in an act of domestic violence. This offense is also referred to as domestic abuse, domestic violence or corporal injury to a spouse.” Artem was booked on a $25,000 bail, which he posted hours after his arrest.
Nikki has yet to publicly comment on the situation, though the E! alum’s rep issued a statement one day after the arrest.
“This is a private matter, and Nikki asks for privacy for her and her family at this time,” her rep said on August 30.
Artem’s message follows Life & Style confirming the former professional wrestler, 40, filed for divorce on September 11, in Napa Valley, California, according to online records.
Although the reason behind the split between Nikki and Artem is unclear, that same day, insiders exclusively told Life & Style that Artem was “known to have a temper.”
“He’s a perfectionist and that makes him impatient at times,” explained the source. “Nikki made excuses for him, saying it was because he was so passionate about his craft.” According to the source, the relationship “was volatile. He came across as angry to a good many people, including his former partners and colleagues.”
Nikki is reportedly seeking legal and physical custody of the couple’s 4-year-old son, Matteo, TMZ reported on September 12. According to the outlet, she did not request to block Artem’s visitation rights of their child.
Artem reacted to Nikki’s request to terminate their marriage by filing for divorce the following day and requested “joint legal and physical custody” of their son.
In Artem’s September statement to E!, he shared that his “focus” is “always” on Matteo.
“He is my world, and being his father is the greatest blessing in my life. All along, my main concern has been for him,” he told the outlet. “I am committed to continuing to provide him with the love, support, and care he needs as we move forward. I am hopeful that securing an equal custody arrangement will help us move on.”
The professional dancer and former WWE star initially crossed paths when they were partnered on season 25 of Dancing With the Stars, which aired on ABC from September to November 2017. Although they were friends at the time, with Nikki being engaged to John Cena, the two stayed in touch after their elimination in week 6. Following Nikki’s split from the Jackpot! actor, 47, in 2018, Artem and Nikki went public with their relationship in March 2019 after months of romance speculation.
Nikki and Artem had celebrated their second wedding anniversary just days before the ABC alum’s arrest, with the mom of one sharing a touching tribute dedicated to her husband.
“This song is our love story. I’ll never forget where I was when I asked Jesus about Artem. Having a conversation with He & God. How my feelings felt too soon. It all felt too fast. And then this song came on. And that’s when I knew that I was falling in love with him and that it was all meant to be,” she wrote alongside lyrics to Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” on August 26. “Happy Anniversary @theartemc I love you!”
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