Nikki Garcia's Ex Artem Chigvintsev Says Domestic Violence Arrest 'Ruined' His Life 'from Every Angle'

Mar. 15, 2025

Artem Chigvintsev at Dancing with the Stars in October 2020.Photo:Kelsey McNeal/ABC via GettyArtem Chigvintsevis getting candid about how his August 2024arrestfor domestic violence has impacted his life.The formerDancing with the Starsalum, 42 — whosettled his divorcewithWWEstarNikki Garcialast year — shared onThe Glamorous Grind Podcastthat he still faces repercussions from his brief incarceration.“It completely ruined everything for me,” Chigvintsev said. “From every angle, it ruined my life completely.”Chigvintsev, who shares 4-year-old son Matteo with Garcia, was arrested and charged with corporal injury to spouse on Aug. 29, 2024. He was released on a $25,000 bail, and maintained at the time that hewas not the “primary aggressor.”“And the worst part about all of this [was] [the district attorney] dropped the case, clearly stating that there was nothing that they could possibly have charged me on,” he added, referring to Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley, whodeclined to file criminal chargesdue to a lack of evidence to determine who instigated the fight.The former professional dancer said on the podcast that despite the case being dropped, he felt that the public had already made up their mind about him after his mugshot was released online. He also feels he’s been “cut off from every angle” — including his work.(L-R) Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella attend the PUBG Mobile’s #FIGHT4THEAMAZON Event at Avalon Hollywood on December 09, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.Rodin Eckenroth/GettyNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.“When people [saw] that mugshot and [watched] it too, for them, in their mind, you are immediately guilty,” he said. “There is nothing you can say or try to justify yourself to change their minds.”Additionally, Chigvintsev — who claimed helost over $100,000 in incomefollowing his arrest — opened up about why he decided to settle the divorce and drop his restraining order against Garcia. (She also mutually agreed to drop her own restraining order against him.)“I wanted it to be over,” he explained. “I felt for me personally, I needed to go back to live my life and just — I needed to move on—emotionally, financially—and I just wanted my life to be normal again.”The former dancing pro, who met Garcia on the set of season 25 ofDWTSin 2017 before the pair got engaged in 2019 and wed in 2022, noted that he felt “relief” from a “legal standpoint.” However, he also noted that ending a relationship that went on for as long as theirs did was not as easy as people would assume.Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Garcia are pictured with their son, Matteo.Artem Chigvintsev/instagram“It’s a [seven-year relationship],” he said. “I didn’t stop loving [a] person that day, and then just move on. It wasn’t my decision to get divorced. So, I was — until the last moment — was still like, ‘Maybe we should do therapy, maybe we should try to figure something out.’”“My ideal scenario is like keeping the family together, united. It was a huge closure of 7 years,” he added.As for what happens next, Chigvintsev said he has moved on to working in “construction” and is focused on “being a parent” to his son, Matteo, which includes taking him on fishing trips.If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

Artem Chigvintsev at Dancing with the Stars in October 2020.Photo:Kelsey McNeal/ABC via Getty

Kelsey McNeal/ABC via Getty

Artem Chigvintsevis getting candid about how his August 2024arrestfor domestic violence has impacted his life.The formerDancing with the Starsalum, 42 — whosettled his divorcewithWWEstarNikki Garcialast year — shared onThe Glamorous Grind Podcastthat he still faces repercussions from his brief incarceration.“It completely ruined everything for me,” Chigvintsev said. “From every angle, it ruined my life completely.”Chigvintsev, who shares 4-year-old son Matteo with Garcia, was arrested and charged with corporal injury to spouse on Aug. 29, 2024. He was released on a $25,000 bail, and maintained at the time that hewas not the “primary aggressor.”“And the worst part about all of this [was] [the district attorney] dropped the case, clearly stating that there was nothing that they could possibly have charged me on,” he added, referring to Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley, whodeclined to file criminal chargesdue to a lack of evidence to determine who instigated the fight.The former professional dancer said on the podcast that despite the case being dropped, he felt that the public had already made up their mind about him after his mugshot was released online. He also feels he’s been “cut off from every angle” — including his work.(L-R) Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella attend the PUBG Mobile’s #FIGHT4THEAMAZON Event at Avalon Hollywood on December 09, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.Rodin Eckenroth/GettyNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.“When people [saw] that mugshot and [watched] it too, for them, in their mind, you are immediately guilty,” he said. “There is nothing you can say or try to justify yourself to change their minds.”Additionally, Chigvintsev — who claimed helost over $100,000 in incomefollowing his arrest — opened up about why he decided to settle the divorce and drop his restraining order against Garcia. (She also mutually agreed to drop her own restraining order against him.)“I wanted it to be over,” he explained. “I felt for me personally, I needed to go back to live my life and just — I needed to move on—emotionally, financially—and I just wanted my life to be normal again.”The former dancing pro, who met Garcia on the set of season 25 ofDWTSin 2017 before the pair got engaged in 2019 and wed in 2022, noted that he felt “relief” from a “legal standpoint.” However, he also noted that ending a relationship that went on for as long as theirs did was not as easy as people would assume.Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Garcia are pictured with their son, Matteo.Artem Chigvintsev/instagram“It’s a [seven-year relationship],” he said. “I didn’t stop loving [a] person that day, and then just move on. It wasn’t my decision to get divorced. So, I was — until the last moment — was still like, ‘Maybe we should do therapy, maybe we should try to figure something out.’”“My ideal scenario is like keeping the family together, united. It was a huge closure of 7 years,” he added.As for what happens next, Chigvintsev said he has moved on to working in “construction” and is focused on “being a parent” to his son, Matteo, which includes taking him on fishing trips.If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

Artem Chigvintsevis getting candid about how his August 2024arrestfor domestic violence has impacted his life.

The formerDancing with the Starsalum, 42 — whosettled his divorcewithWWEstarNikki Garcialast year — shared onThe Glamorous Grind Podcastthat he still faces repercussions from his brief incarceration.

“It completely ruined everything for me,” Chigvintsev said. “From every angle, it ruined my life completely.”

Chigvintsev, who shares 4-year-old son Matteo with Garcia, was arrested and charged with corporal injury to spouse on Aug. 29, 2024. He was released on a $25,000 bail, and maintained at the time that hewas not the “primary aggressor.”

“And the worst part about all of this [was] [the district attorney] dropped the case, clearly stating that there was nothing that they could possibly have charged me on,” he added, referring to Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley, whodeclined to file criminal chargesdue to a lack of evidence to determine who instigated the fight.

The former professional dancer said on the podcast that despite the case being dropped, he felt that the public had already made up their mind about him after his mugshot was released online. He also feels he’s been “cut off from every angle” — including his work.

(L-R) Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella attend the PUBG Mobile’s #FIGHT4THEAMAZON Event at Avalon Hollywood on December 09, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.Rodin Eckenroth/Getty

Rodin Eckenroth/Getty

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

“When people [saw] that mugshot and [watched] it too, for them, in their mind, you are immediately guilty,” he said. “There is nothing you can say or try to justify yourself to change their minds.”

Additionally, Chigvintsev — who claimed helost over $100,000 in incomefollowing his arrest — opened up about why he decided to settle the divorce and drop his restraining order against Garcia. (She also mutually agreed to drop her own restraining order against him.)

“I wanted it to be over,” he explained. “I felt for me personally, I needed to go back to live my life and just — I needed to move on—emotionally, financially—and I just wanted my life to be normal again.”

The former dancing pro, who met Garcia on the set of season 25 ofDWTSin 2017 before the pair got engaged in 2019 and wed in 2022, noted that he felt “relief” from a “legal standpoint.” However, he also noted that ending a relationship that went on for as long as theirs did was not as easy as people would assume.

Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Garcia are pictured with their son, Matteo.Artem Chigvintsev/instagram

Artem Chigvintsev/instagram

“It’s a [seven-year relationship],” he said. “I didn’t stop loving [a] person that day, and then just move on. It wasn’t my decision to get divorced. So, I was — until the last moment — was still like, ‘Maybe we should do therapy, maybe we should try to figure something out.’”

“My ideal scenario is like keeping the family together, united. It was a huge closure of 7 years,” he added.

As for what happens next, Chigvintsev said he has moved on to working in “construction” and is focused on “being a parent” to his son, Matteo, which includes taking him on fishing trips.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

source: people.com