Nikki Garcia , the former professional wrestler also known as Nikki Bella, has hired a divorce attorney following husband Artem Chigvintsev 's domestic violence arrest, People reported on Wednesday, September 11.
The news comes after a source exclusively told Life & Style that, “Friends are telling Nikki she married a monster. And she wants out.”
The insider says Nikki, 40, “is determined to take her son and get out of the marriage. A split is bound to get ugly.” The pair share a son, Matteo.
According to the source, the relationship “was volatile. He came across as angry to a good many people, including his former partners and colleagues.”
The Dancing With the Stars pro, 42, was booked into Napa County Jail on a felony domestic violence charge on August 29, according to online jail records viewed by Life & Style . Artem's bail was set for $25,000 and he was released later in the day. He’s scheduled to appear at an arraignment on November 4.
Artem was booked on California penal code 273.5(a), which is a specific code that “makes it illegal to injure a spouse, cohabitant or fellow parent in an act of domestic violence. This offense is also referred to as domestic abuse, domestic violence or corporal injury to a spouse.”
While Nikki hasn't been publicly identified as the victim, she broke her silence via her rep on August 30 after Artem's arrest. “This is a private matter, and Nikki asks for privacy for her and her family at this time,” her spokesperson said in a statement obtained by Us Weekly .
On August 31, Nikki was spotted for the first time since Artem's arrest and wasn't wearing her wedding ring . She boarded a private plane out of Oakland, California, with Matteo, 4.
Following Artem’s arrest, TMZ reported that a call was made to 911 for a “medical emergency” on August 29 around 8:30 a.m. Artem reportedly made the call himself, although he later canceled the request before paramedics arrived at the scene.
Artem Chigvintsev Charged With Domestic Violence: Updates on Case The professional dancer was detained upon the police’s arrival, and a rep from the Napa County Sheriff’s Department told the outlet that the victim had “injuries.” However, he requested that the matter remain in “total confidentiality.”
Authorities arrived an hour after Artem requested that they no longer come. Upon their arrival, the cops saw visible injuries on the alleged victim. Artem was then arrested for felony corporal injury to a spouse, according to the outlet.
Nikki and Artem met while paired as partners on season 25 of Dancing With the Stars . They began a relationship in late 2018, following the former WWE star's split from longtime love John Cena . The couple welcomed Matteo on July 31, 2020, and wed in Paris, France, in August 2022.
Prior to Artem's arrest, he and Nikki shared adoring Instagram posts about each other on August 26, celebrating their second wedding anniversary.
The former professional athlete wrote about the lyrics to the song "Can't Help Falling in Love," saying the tune "is our love story."
"I’ll never forget where I was when I asked Jesus about Artem. 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," Nikki wrote in the caption next to a video montage from their wedding.
She added, "Happy Anniversary @theartemc I love you!"
Artem shared two photos from their wedding day while writing in the caption, "Happy anniversary my love, can’t see my life without you. You are my everything."
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