Artem Chigvintsev Claims He Lost Over $100K in Income Following His Domestic Violence Arrest

Mar. 15, 2025

Artem Chigvintsev.Photo:Emma McIntyre/Getty

Emma McIntyre/Getty

Artem Chigvintsevis revealing how hisarresthas impacted his finances.

“It is not true that I have not been able to find other work as a dancer,” he wrote in the docs. “I normally start jobs in November and it goes for 20 weekends. After the mug shot and the arrest based on her false allegations, I was taken off the website faculty list resulting in loss of over $100k in income.”

“I also lost the social media promotion revenue, which she continues to benefit from as she was more worried about her career when she lied to the police, than mine,” he claims.

Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Garcia.Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

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.

On Aug. 29, police responded to the home Garcia and Chigvintsev shared in Napa, Calif. after theTotal Bellasalum accused Chigvintsev of domestic violence. He was arrested and charged with corporal injury to spouse and released on a $25,000 bond that day. The District Attorney’s office laterdecided not to press criminal charges.

Garciafiled for divorcefrom Chigvintsev on Sept. 11, and the two have since been grantedrestraining ordersagainst one another. They also share a 4-year-old son Matteo, who was allegedly present during the domestic violence incident.

In their court battle, Garcia claimed that Chigvintsev had been cut fromDancing with the Starsas a pro for the current 33rd season a week before his arrest and “had not been able to find other work as a dancer.”

“He had begun work at a construction job and felt it was beneath him,” an Oct. 3 filing alleged. “Since being cut fromDancing with the Stars, Artem had been growing increasingly angry, snapping at me, and yelling. We had discussions about his need to control his anger.” Chigvintsev’s recent filing denies Garcia’s allegations.

Nikki Garcia and Artem Chigvintsev.David Livingston/Getty

On Aug. 29, PEOPLE confirmed that there were no plans for the Russian-born dancer to take part in season 33 ofDancing with the Starsprior tohis arrest.

Chigvintsev has maintained thathe was not the “primary aggressor”in the Aug. 29 incident and the Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley cited a lack of evidence to determine who instigated the fight, per apress releaseissued Sept. 24.

Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Garcia.Rodin Eckenroth/Getty

Rodin Eckenroth/Getty

Garcia and Chigvintsev met when they werepaired togetheron season 25 ofDancing with the Starsin 2017. At the time, the retired WWE wrestler was engaged toJohn Cena, but when theyended their relationshipin July 2018, theDWTSpair reconnected and began dating.

After goingInstagram officialin March 2019, Garcia and Chigvintsev got engaged later that year and welcomed their son in July 2020. They wed in August 2022, celebrating their two-year wedding anniversary just days before Chigvintsev’s arrest.

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