TW: This article contains discussions of alleged domestic violence in which a child was present.
Dancing with the Stars fans were rocked by domestic violence allegations in Nikki Garcia and her husband, Artem Chigvintsev’s, marriage. Artem was a longtime pro on DWTS. He was not invited to appear on Season 33 of the show. Apparently, this decision was made before the alleged incident between Nikki and Artem.
Nikki Garcia and Artem Chigvintsev settled their divorce quickly
Artem was arrested on August 29, 2024, for alleged “corporal injury to a spouse.” Some insiders were not surprised by the news of this incident, claiming that the couple had marital problems resulting in frequent arguments.
In the end, the District Attorney opted not to file charges against the DWTS alum. However, Nikki moved forward and filed for divorce on September 11, 2024.
Now, it looks like Nikki and Artem can close this disturbing chapter and turn the page. TMZ obtained legal documents showing that the couple went to mediation in November and figured out a settlement for their divorce. Meanwhile, a source told TMZ that Artem and Nikki wanted to get their divorce settled pronto. Reportedly, they didn’t want to continue to pay attorneys. Plus, they just wanted to put their divorce in the rearview. While we don’t know the exact details of the settlement, we do know that a judge already ordered joint custody for their son, Matteo.
Was Artem Chigvintsev awarded spousal support from Nikki Garcia?
As for spousal support? Nikki asked the court to block any spousal support in her court documents, while Artem asked to receive spousal support. I wonder if Artem will be getting a check from Nikki? The couple also agreed to drop the restraining orders against each other.
“Nikki’s number one priority has always been her son and privacy on the matter,” Nikki’s rep told TMZ. “She is thankful for all of the love and support she has received during this difficult time.”
Meanwhile, Artem is hoping to return to the DWTS ballroom. He was reportedly invited to the show’s 500th episode celebration and was seen in the audience.
Dancing with the Stars Season 33 finale airs on Tuesday, November 26 at 8/7c on ABC and Disney+.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or chat at thehotline.org.
TELL US – ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT NIKKI AND ARTEM REACHED A DIVORCE SETTLEMENT SO QUICKLY? DO YOU THINK ARTEM WILL RETURN TO DWTS AS A PRO?