Artem Chigvintsev, husband of former WWE star Nikki Garcia (formerly known as Nikki Bella), was arrested on a felony domestic violence (battery) charge on August 29, 2024. In the aftermath, it was revealed that Nikki had filed for legal and physical custody of their son Matteo as part of their ongoing divorce proceedings.

However, the Napa County District Attorney’s office later decided not to pursue criminal charges against Chigvintsev. Following this, Artem addressed the matter on Instagram, stating:

“I am incredibly relieved and grateful that the domestic violence charges against me have been dropped. This has been an extremely difficult time for me. I am thankful that the truth has prevailed.

My focus has always been and will always be, our son Matteo. He is my world, and being his father is the greatest blessing in my life. All along, my main concern has been for him. I am committed to continuing to provide him with the love, support, and care he needs as we move forward. I am hopeful that securing an equal custody arrangement will help us move on.
I want to express my deepest gratitude to my family, friends, and legal team for standing by me during this challenging time. Your support has been invaluable, and I am thankful to everyone who believed in me and saw the truth for what it was.

I look forward to moving past this chapter and focusing on what truly matters, continue being the best father I can be.”

Artem’s attorney, Ilona Antonyan, also spoke to People.com, emphasizing that they can now focus on negotiating a shared custody arrangement. She stated:

“We can now focus on negotiating a shared 50/50 custody schedule. Fortunately, Artem has been able to spend time with Matteo almost every day since the 8/29/2024 incident. He is a very dedicated, interactive, nurturing, and loving parent. My understanding of the investigated facts surrounding the 8/29/24 incident have led me to conclude from the beginning that Artem was not the primary aggressor. I believe that to be true even if the burden of proof would be the preponderance of evidence, which is the standard of proof in family court. He was protecting himself and Matteo.”

Artem Chigvintsev Was Not the 'Primary Aggressor' in Domestic Violence Incident with Nikki Garcia, Claims Lawyer (Exclusive) https://t.co/D1oa1WcYOn

, People (@people) September 25, 2024