Nikki Garcia is speaking out after her husband, Dancing With the Stars pro Artem Chigvintsev, was arrested for domestic violence.
“This is a private matter, and Nikki asks for privacy for her and her family at this time,” a rep for Garcia told Us Weekly in a statement on Friday, August 30.
News broke on Thursday, August 29, that Chigvintsev was arrested in Napa County, California for domestic violence. According to online jail records viewed by Us Weekly, Chigvintsev was taken into custody earlier on Thursday. Bail was set for $25,000 and he was released that afternoon.
The pro dancer was arrested on charges under section 273.5(a) of the California Penal Code, pertaining to an individual who has injured a spouse, cohabitant or fellow parent. A conviction can be charged as either a felony or a misdemeanor, with a felony verdict carrying a sentence of up to four years in state prison and a maximum $6,000 fine. A misdemeanor conviction, meanwhile, often results in a maximum sentence of one year in county jail and a maximum fine of $6,000.
The circumstances surrounding Chigvintsev’s arrest were not immediately revealed.
Earlier this week, Chigvintsev and the former Total Bellas star, who share son Matteo, 4, celebrated their second wedding anniversary.
“Happy anniversary my love, can’t see my life without you,” he wrote via Instagram earlier this week. “You are my everything ❤️.”
Garcia also shared a tribute to her spouse, quoting the lyrics to Elvis Presley’s “Just Can’t Help Falling in Love.”
“This song is our love story. I’ll never forget where I was when I asked Jesus about Artem,” Garcia wrote. “Having a conversation with He & God. How my feelings felt too soon. It all felt too fast. And then this song came on. And that’s when I knew that I was falling in love with him and that it was all meant to be. Happy Anniversary @theartemc I love you!”
Chigvintsev and Garcia first met when they were partnered on season 25 of DWTS, which aired in 2017. They started dating one year later following Garcia’s split from ex-fiancé John Cena. Chigvintsev and Garcia welcomed Matteo in July 2020, two years before they got married in France.
If you or someone you know are experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
