Artem Chigvintsev will not face domestic violence charges, US authorities have confirmed. The 42-year-old, who previously appeared on Strictly Come Dancing, was arrested and booked for corporal injury to a spouse on August 29. Two days prior, Artem had marked his second wedding anniversary with WWE star Nikki Garcia.
On the day of his arrest, Artem was later released on bail for $25,000. His wife, Nikki with whom he shares a son, has since filed for divorce.
Following an investigation, Napa County District Attorney (DA) Allison Haley has confirmed that Artem will not face criminal charges, after a "thorough review of the criminal investigation and careful evaluation of the evidence".
Releasing an official statement on September 25, the DA said: "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, 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," she concluded.
An additional statement, clarified: "The Napa County District Attorney's Office does not typically issue press releases when it declines to file charges against any given individual; however, did so for this case due to the intense media interest it has received since Mr Chigvintsev's arrest."
With the investigation concluded, Artem will be navigating his divorce with Nikki in the coming months. According to People, she has requested legal and physical custody of their son, Matteo. Irreconcilable differences have been cited as the grounds for their divorce. Following Artem's arrest, Nikki has refrained from commenting on his arrest.
The professional wrestler and mom-of-one first met Artem in 2017 after they were paired up on season 25 of Dancing with the Stars. Artem, who hails from Russia, previously appeared on Strictly Come Dancing from 2010-2013, winning the show in his first year. In 2014, he relocated to the US and began performing on Dancing with the Stars.
During their time as dance partners, Artem and Nikki were friends, but after the WWE star split from John Cena, she reconnected with him. Their romance was confirmed in 2019 and in 2020, Nikki confirmed that she and Artem were expecting their first child. They tied the knot in Paris in August 2022, with the couple sharing photos of their wedding rings, not to mention a snap of them gazing at the Eiffel Tower. "We said I DO," they captioned it.