“Dancing with the Stars” veteran Nikki Garcia (formerly Bella) has filed for divorce from former DWTS pro Artem Chigvintsev after an incident at their Napa Valley home.
Now, insiders have provided additional insight into the situation.
One source told Entertainment Tonight that Garcia was “scared and rattled” after the incident with Chigvintsev.
Nikki Garcia’s Sister Brie Has Had Her Twin’s Back
On August 29, TMZ was told by the Napa County Sheriff’s Office that Chigvintsev had been arrested. Authorities booked Chigvintsev on a felony domestic violence charge, TMZ reported.
TMZ also reported on September 12 that Garcia filed for divorce from Chigvintsev. In reviewing the court documents, TMZ noted that Garcia requested full physical and legal custody of the couple’s 4-year-old son Matteo.
The date of the couple’s separation was August 29, according to TMZ, the same day as Chigvintsev’s arrest.
On September 14, Entertainment Tonight shared information they received from someone close to the situation. The source told the outlet Nikki was rattled and scared after the August 29 argument with Chigvintsev.
The outlet also reported that Garcia’s sister “encouraged Nikki to leave the marriage.”
The insider relayed that Brie said, “Any sort of violence does not fly.”
Nikki’s sister and other loved ones were “very worried” about the former wrestler and Matteo, the insider added, according to the media outlet.
A source also told Entertainment Tonight that Chigvintsev “feels unprepared to deal with everything coming his way.”
Entertainment Tonight included a few additional details from insiders in an Instagram post. The outlet’s source shared that Chigvintsev “feels extremely remorseful” about what happened with Garcia.
In addition, the source told the media outlet, “His loved ones believe this was out of character for him and it came as a surprise to them.”
Garcia’s Friends & Family Had Concerns About Chigvintsev, an Insider Said
Life & Style also connected with a source close to Garcia.
On September 11, the media outlet reported that according to an insider, Garcia’s friends were “telling Nikki she married a monster.” The insider added, “And she wants out.”
According to Life & Style, the insider also shared, “In the beginning, Artem swept Nikki off her feet. He was her dream man…But reality set in and now Nikki doesn’t recognize him as the man she married.”
In addition, the media outlet’s source indicated that Garcia’s twin sister Brie “worried about his temper,” before the August 29 incident.
The insider explained, “Like a lot of people, she found his sometimes controlling behavior troubling. There were fears things might escalate.”
Garcia has filed for divorce, and Us Weekly reported on September 13 that Chigvintsev responded.
Before the court filings, insiders suggested Chigvintsev wanted to repair the marriage with Garcia. The Life & Style source noted, “He has an uphill battle ahead of him. The whole thing is a mess.”
Chigvintsev may have hoped for a reconciliation initially, but the media outlet’s insider suggested that was highly unlikely.
Rather, they shared, Garcia “is determined to take her son and get out of the marriage. A split is bound to get ugly.”
On September 14, TMZ spotted Garcia and Matteo out and about in Napa Valley. The media outlet noted she was taking Matteo to a dance class.
As of this writing, Chigvintsev has not been seen in public and has not made any statements regarding his situation.
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