Nikki Bella's Ex Artem Chigvintsev Claims His Life Is Ruined After Domestic Violence Arrest, Didn't See Son for Three Weeks
Former "Dancing with the Stars" pro Artem Chigvintsev recently opened up about the devastating impact of his domestic violence arrest last year, claiming it has "completely ruined" his life.
The 42-year-old dancer was arrested on Aug. 29, 2024, in Yountville, California, on suspicion of felony domestic violence. The arrest led to significant personal and professional consequences for Chigvintsev—who at the time was married to former WWE star Nikki Garcia (known by her stage name Nikki Bella). He claimed to have lost over $100,000 in income due to canceled dance jobs and social media deals. The dancer was also reportedly removed from the faculty list of an undisclosed institution. Furthermore, he claimed he could not see his son, Matteo, for more than three weeks following his arrest.
"[It] completely ruined everything for me. From every angle, it ruined my life completely," he said in an interview with E! News. "When people [saw] that mugshot, in their minds, you are immediately guilty. There is nothing you can say to change their minds."
Neither party fully disclosed the exact details that led to the arrest. Reports say a 911 call was received by police on the morning of Aug. 29 last year. An audio recording shared by TMZ revealed that Chigvintsev called 911 for medical assistance after Garcia threw shoes at him, but the request was later canceled. That said, police officers responded to the scene to conduct a welfare check.
Chigvintsev was arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence under California Penal Code 273.5(a), which pertains to inflicting injury upon a spouse or cohabitant. However, he noted in court documents that Garcia was the aggressor, and he remained non-violent.
The DA's officer later dropped the charges against Chigvintsev after reviewing the evidence. He and Garcia also agreed to drop the domestic violence restraining orders they filed against each other.
Garcia and Chigvintsev settled their divorce in November 2024, about three months following the dancer's arrest. They now share custody of their son, Matteo.
