Artem Chigvintsev demands joint custody, spousal support in Nikki Garcia divorce

Artem Chigvintsev demands joint custody, spousal support in Nikki Garcia divorce

Artem Chigvintsev is reportedly demanding his estranged wife, Nikki Garcia (aka Nikki Bella), grant him joint custody of their son and provide spousal support. 

The former “Dancing With The Stars” pro made his demands in court documents he filed Friday, according to Us Weekly. Chigvintsev was responding to Bella’s divorce petition which she submitted just two days ago, on Wednesday, September 11.

Bella filed for divorce just weeks after Chigvintsev was arrested for felony domestic violence. Prosecutors have not revealed whether they intend to file charges. 

Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella attend Brie and Nikki Bella’s live edition of SiriusXM’s The Bellas Podcast on February 08, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. Getty Images for SiriusXM

Chigvintsev reportedly listed irreconcilable differences as the reason for the breakdown in his and Bella’s marriage. His court filing marked the date of their separation as August 29, the day he was arrested by sheriffs in Napa County, California. 

Chigvintsev and Bella share a 4-year-old son, Matteo. Bella has asked for sole legal and physical custody of their only child.

The “DWTS” alum, in addition to seeking joint custody and spousal support, is allegedly asking the former “Total Divas” star to pay his attorneys fees and costs.

Artem Chigvintsev attends the PUBG Mobile’s #FIGHT4THEAMAZON Event at Avalon Hollywood on December 09, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images Nikki Bella attends Michael Rubin’s 2022 Fanatics Super Bowl Party on February 12, 2022 in Culver City, California. Getty Images for Fanatics

In the docs viewed by Us Weekly, Chigvintsev is claiming “putative spouse” status for a period of time beginning August 26, 2022 and ending January 19, 2023.

A putative spouse is a person in a legally invalid marriage despite believing that they are officially married. Though Chigvintsev and Bella tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in Paris back in August 2022, they didn’t get married in the US until January 2023, according to the court documents.

Nikki Garcia and Artem Chigvintsev attend “Twin Love” – Cocktails And Bites With Hosts Nikki & Brie Garcia at Soho House on November 16, 2023 in West Hollywood, California. Getty Images for Prime Video

Chigvintsev was arrested just days after the pair celebrated their second wedding anniversary, an occasion that spurred both partners to effuse over the other on social media.

Despite appearances, however, the couple’s relationship had reportedly been “volatile” for years. Sources close to the estranged spouses told TMZ that there had been instances of verbal abuse in the past, with issues of “control and belittlement” taking center stage. One insider said they found news of Chigvintsev’s arrest “shocking but not shocking.”

Artem Chigvintsev (L) and Nikki Bella attend FOX’s Teen Choice Awards 2019 on August 11, 2019 in Hermosa Beach, California. FilmMagic Artem Chigvintsev attends ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars: Athletes” Season 26 show on April 30, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images

The dancer and the diva met when Bella was a contestant on “DWTS” in 2017. 

The altercation on August 29 that led to Chigvintsev’s arrest began because he made a 911 call requesting medical assistance, according to dispatch audio obtained by TMZ. Chigvintsev reportedly told the 911 operator that Bella had thrown shoes at him.

However, a follow-up call was then made to 911 canceling the request. And though firefighters and paramedics cancelled their trip to the house the couple share in Napa, Chigvintsev was arrested a short while later.

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.