Artem Chigvintsev Says Domestic Violence Arrest ‘Ruined’ His Life

Artem Chigvintsev is reflecting on how his domestic violence arrest “completely ruined everything” in his life — including his relationship with ex-wife Nikki Garcia.

“From every angle, it ruined my life completely,” Chigvintsev, 42, said of the past incident during a “Glamorous Grind” podcast appearance on Tuesday, February 18. “The worst part about all of this, because [the] DA dropped the case, clearly stating that there was nothing that they could possibly have charged me on.”

News broke in August 2024 that Chigvintsev was arrested following an alleged incident with Garcia, 41. Us Weekly confirmed the following month that the charges against the professional dancer were dropped by the Napa County District Attorney following “a thorough” investigation. During Tuesday’s podcast episode, Chigvintsev said that it didn’t matter — because once his mugshot was released, the public dubbed him guilty.

“There is nothing you can say or try to justify yourself and change their minds. When [a] person [has] a mugshot, you’re guilty immediately. There is not even a question of, like, what happened,” he said. “It’s weird because in this country I thought … you’re innocent until proven guilty. That was not the case whatsoever.”

One week after Chigvintsev’s arrest, he and Garcia filed for divorce. While she sought full custody of their 4-year-old son, Matteo, he requested joint custody. Both Chigvintsev and Garcia filed restraining orders against each other, which were eventually dropped when they reached a divorce settlement in November 2024.

Related: Artem Chigvintsev Returns to Instagram With Son After Nikki Garcia Divorce

Artem Chigvintsev is all smiles with 4-year-old son Matteo in his first Instagram post since Nikki Garcia split. Chigvintsev, 42, shared four black-and-white photos with his son on Sunday, December 22. In the snaps, the father-son duo are laying down, with two images showing them both laughing with their mouths wide open. Matteo is hugging […]

Chigvintsev explained during Tuesday’s podcast appearance how the settlement came to be.

“I wanted it to be over. I felt, for me personally, I needed to go back to live my life and just I needed to move on emotionally, financially,” the Dancing With the Stars pro said. “I just want my life to be normal again.”

He continued to say he’s found “closure” in his life following the divorce — even though it wasn’t his idea.

“People keep forgetting something. I didn’t stop loving [the] person that day and I just moved on. It wasn’t my decision to get divorced. I was, until the last moment, [suggesting] maybe we should do therapy. Maybe we need to try to figure something out,” Chigvintsev claimed. “My ideal scenario is, like, keeping the family together, united. It was a huge closure of seven years. I will never forget this moment when Matteo loved [the] three of us being together.”

Related: Nikki Garcia Claims Artem Grew ‘Increasingly Angry’ After ‘DWTS’ Cut

Nikki Garcia shared new details about her and estranged husband Artem Chigvintsev’s domestic violence incident in a restraining order filing. In the document, which was filed and granted by a judge on Monday, September 30, Garcia, 40, claimed that Chigvintsev, 42, tackled her multiple times and shoved her to the ground while their son, Matteo, […]

Chigvintsev said it made the 4-year-old “so happy” when he and Garcia were together.

“Having [the] thought of, this is never gonna be that ever again. You need to move on,” he added. “I think that closure was huge, because I remember flying from the airport and I was like, ‘Wow, this is just like’ … It was sad, but it also was, I guess, relief because it was done.”

He recalled the entire legal process being “draining,” explaining that there were “three-and-a-half weeks” where he couldn’t see Matteo. Chigvintsev called that “hands down” one of the worst experiences of his life.

“When you don’t see your son because it’s your choice, it’s one thing,” Chigvintsev said. “When you don’t see your son because it’s someone else’s choice, and you actually legally cannot do it. That’s where it gets, like, I’m helpless over here.”