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‘DWTS’ Attorney Artem Chigvintsev Arrested on Charges of Bodily Injury to Husband
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‘DWTS’ Attorney Artem Chigvintsev Arrested on Charges of Bodily Injury to Husband

Artem Chigvintsev has been arrested on charges of causing bodily harm to his husband in Napa, California.

The Dancing with the stars pro, 42, was arrested just before 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 29. Less than an hour later, he was booked into the Napa County Jail.

The booking code indicates that Chigvintsev’s charge was for corporal injury to his spouse and that he was given a $25,000 bail, according to intake records obtained by PEOPLE. It has not yet been confirmed, but given the charges, Chigvintsev’s wife Nikki Garcia (formerly Nikki Bella) is presumably the spouse in question. PEOPLE has reached out to reps for Chigvintsev and Garcia for comment.

TMZ was the first to report the news.

Just one day before her arrest, Garcia posted an Instagram Stories post about a facial she got in Napa. She also posted a video of clips from her relationship with Chigvintsev for their Aug. 27 anniversary, with the lyrics to Elvis Presley’s hit “Can’t Help Falling in Love” in the caption.

“This song is our love story. I will never forget where I was when I asked Jesus about Artem. A conversation with Him and God,” she also wrote. “How my feelings felt too fast. It all felt too fast. And then this song came. And that’s when I knew I was falling in love with him and it was all meant to be. 🙏🏼✨.”

“Happy birthday @theartemc I love you! ❤️‍🔥,” she concluded.

Chigvintsev also posted: “Happy birthday my love, I can’t see my life without you. You are my everything ❤️”

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The Total Bellas alum and Chigvintsev first met in 2017 when they were paired together on DWTS system. Garcia was still in a relationship with his friend (and then-fiancé) John Cena at the time, but the two split a year later.

The retired WWE wrestler reconnected with Chigvintsev later that year before the two confirmed their romance in March 2019. They were engaged eight months later and welcomed their first child together in July 2020.

“07-31-2020 💙 Our baby boy is here and we couldn’t be HAPPIER and MORE LOVED! Everyone is safe and healthy,” she said in an Instagram announcement.

Chigvintsev also posted the following message at the time: “07/31/2020 please welcome our precious baby boy Chigvintsev 👶 proud of my love @thenikkibella.”

Artem Chigvintsev (left) and Nikki Bella (right).

Rodin/Eckenroth


In November 2020, Garcia announced that she had entered relationship therapy with Chigvintsev after the birth of their son.

“We hear a lot of stories about people making sacrifices in their own relationships because it’s about the kids,” she said in the Tamron Hall Show“Artem and I wanted to know from the beginning: How can we balance this for Matteo and for our relationship?”

Exactly one year later, Garcia shared an update on their relationship, saying they had overcome their difficult period. She explained on The Bellas Podcast that it was difficult when she and her son were separated from Chigvintsev for a long time while she was a judge AGT: Extreme.

“Teo goes everywhere with mom,” she said. “That’s where he feels comfortable, that’s where he does best. And you know, it’s hard for (Artem), and it’s hard for me too, not having my husband in my bed for over six, seven weeks.”

Nikki Bella (left) and Artem Chigvintsev (right).
Greg Doherty/Getty

“It’s been really hard for us,” she admitted, adding that things have been “a little bumpy for a while” but the two have had “sexy FaceTimes” and are “stronger than ever.”

In August 2022, the couple finally tied the knot in Paris, where they had gotten engaged years earlier. “We said yes,” they wrote in a joint Instagram post.

Garcia also shared another photo on her Instagram Stories, writing, “We both can’t stop laughing. I never want this feeling to end. I will love you forever and ever, Mr. Chigvintsev.”