Artem Chigvintsev is reportedly demanding his estranged wife, Nikki Garcia (aka Nikki Bella), grant him joint custody of their son and provide spousal support.
The former “Dancing With The Stars” pro made his demands in court documents he filed Friday, according to Us Weekly. Chigvintsev was responding to Bella’s divorce petition, which she submitted just two days ago, on Wednesday, September 11.
Bella filed for divorce just weeks after Chigvintsev was arrested for domestic violence. Prosecutors have not revealed if they intend to file charges.
Chigvintsev reportedly listed irreconcilable differences as the reason for the breakdown in his and Bella’s marriage. His court filing marked the date of their separation as August 29, the day he was arrested by sheriffs in Napa County, California.
Chigvintsev and Bella share a 4-year-old son, Matteo. Bella has asked for sole legal and physical custody of their only child.
The “DWTS” alum, in addition to seeking joint custody and spousal support, is allegedly asking the former “Total Divas” star to pay his attorneys fees and costs.
In the docs viewed by Us Weekly, Chigvintsev is claiming “putative spouse” status for a period of time beginning August 26, 2022, and ending January 19, 2023.
A putative spouse is a person in a legally invalid marriage despite believing that they are officially married. Though Chigvintsev and Bella tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in Paris back in August 2022, they didn’t get married in the US until January 2023, according to the court documents.
Chigvintsev was arrested just days after the pair celebrated their second wedding anniversary, an occasion that spurred both partners to gush over the other on social media.
Despite appearances, however, the couple’s relationship had reportedly been “volatile” for years. Sources close to the estranged spouses told TMZ that there were alleged instances of verbal abuse in the past. One insider claimed they found news of Chigvintsev’s arrest “shocking but not shocking.”
The dancer and the WWE Diva met when Bella was a contestant on “DWTS” in 2017.
Chigvintsev called 911 to report a medical emergency, according to dispatch audio obtained by TMZ. Chigvintsev also told the 911 operator that Bella had thrown shoes at him.
Someone from the house called 911 minutes later to cancel the request. Chigvintsev was arrested a short while later.
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.SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.
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