Artem Chigvintsev reflects on being arrested for domestic violence, the subsequent divorce from his wife, Nikki Garcia, and the long-lasting effects on his life and career.
- February 21, 2025
AceShowbiz - Artem Chigvintsev, former "Dancing With the Stars" professional, opened up about the unraveling of his personal life following his arrest in August 2024 and subsequent divorce from WWE star Nikki Garcia. Describing the experience as utterly life-shattering on The Glamorous Grind Podcast, Chigvintsev shared, "It completely ruined everything for me."
Chigvintsev, who shares a 4-year-old son Matteo with Garcia, was arrested on charges of corporal injury to a spouse. Although Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley dropped the case due to insufficient evidence, Chigvintsev felt irreparably tarnished. "When a person has a mugshot, you're guilty immediately," he lamented.
Two weeks after the arrest, Garcia filed for divorce. The split escalated with both parties seeking and being granted restraining orders against each other while pursuing custody of Matteo. Ultimately, a settlement in November spared them a court showdown.
"Divorce was just one of the things I was facing at the time," Chigvintsev admitted. "I was cut off from every outlet of support, except for maybe my parents. My work was cut off. And then, on top of it, there was a criminal case."
The fall from grace was sharp as Chigvintsev was not included in the "Dancing With the Stars" cycle that year, heightening his woes.
Nikki Garcia also described her emotional turmoil on her podcast, "The Nikki and Brie Show", "You know, you dream of having this family and you have this incredible love and it just goes the other way... I never saw any of it coming."
Despite the mutual decision to drop restraining orders, the emotional scars remain for both. Chigvintsev initially yearned for reconciliation, "My ideal scenario is like keeping the family together, united. It was a huge closure of 7 years," but now he focuses on "being a parent" and has shifted his career towards construction jobs.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or visit thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential, available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
