Nikki Garcia (formerly known as Nikki Bella) has been granted a restraining order against her estranged husband, Artem Chigvintsev, one month after he was arrested following a domestic violence incident.
Artem, 42, is prohibited from “coming within 100 yards” or contacting Nikki, 40, according to court documents obtained by TMZ. The documents also revealed that Artem can only see their son, Matteo, 4, for “for visitation or exchange of the child” through court-ordered visits.
“Due to the incident that led to Artem’s arrest on August 29, 2024, Nikki has decided to file for a temporary Domestic Violence Restraining Order to protect herself and her son,” Nikki’s rep said in a statement to Us Weekly on Friday, October 4. “Although Nikki requested that the Napa District Attorney not file charges against Artem as she did not want him to go to jail, he must still be held accountable for his actions, and Nikki and her son must be protected.”
The rep added that “Nikki’s number one priority has always been the wellbeing of her son.”
“She is thankful for all of the love and support she has received and continues to ask for privacy for her and her family during this difficult time,” the statement concluded.
The retired wrestler filed a restraining order against Artem on Monday, September 30, in which she claimed that he allegedly brutalized her, according to TMZ. She made many allegations against Artem in the filing, including that he allegedly “tackled me multiple times and pinned me to the ground while our child was present.”
Nikki also claimed that Artem grew “increasingly angry, snapping at me, and yelling” after he was cut from Dancing With the Stars.
Artem was arrested on August 29 following a domestic violence incident. In the restraining order filing, Nikki stated that they had spoken about controlling his anger on the morning of his arrest and claimed he “went off” about how Matteo’s English muffin should be toasted.
Nikki said she threw Matteo’s toddler-sized shoes at him, and Artem responded by grabbing their son and taking him upstairs. She attempted to get into the room, and claimed that Artem tackled her to the ground. She went on to allege that he grabbed her arms and held her to the ground.
Following the incident, Life & Style confirmed that Nikki filed for divorce from Artem on September 11. Two days later, Artem filed his own divorce paperwork and cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their separation. Additionally, he asked for “joint legal and physical custody” over Matteo and also requested spousal support.
Later that month, it was announced that the domestic violence charges against Artem were dropped following a thorough investigation.
“While we take every arrest seriously and stand firmly against domestic violence, we have an ethical obligation to only file charges when supported by the evidence,” Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley said in a statement on September 24. “We are required to prove any and every criminal charge ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ which is the highest standard in the American criminal justice system. If the available evidence doesn’t rise to this level of proof, then we cannot ethically file charges.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
