Nearly a month after he was arrested for domestic violence, “Dancing with the Stars” pro Artem Chigvintsev expressed his “gratitude” for those who have stood by him.
Artem Chigvintsev has broken his silence nearly a month after being arrested for domestic violence.
On Wednesday, the “Dancing with the Stars” pro — who married Nikki Bella in 2022 — expressed his “deepest gratitude” for those who have stood by him during an “extremely difficult time” in his life.
“I am incredibly relieved and grateful that the domestic violence charges against me have been dropped,” Chigvintsev said in a statement to E! News. “This has been an extremely difficult time for me. I am thankful that the truth has prevailed.”
ARTEM CHIGVINTSEV’S WIFE NIKKI BELLA BREAKS SILENCE AFTER HIS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARREST
On Aug. 29, Chigvintsev was arrested at approximately 9:40 a.m. in violation of California Penal Code Section 273.5(a) PC, also known as domestic violence or corporal injury to a spouse, former spouse, cohabitant, former cohabitant, or the mother or father of his or her child, according to records viewed by Fox News Digital.
The pro dancer — who shares 4-year-old son Matteo with Bella — was booked at 10:40 a.m. He was released at approximately 2:18 p.m. that same day on $25,000 bail.
On Tuesday, Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley announced that her office had declined to file criminal charges against Chigvintsev.
“The decision not to file charges against Mr. Chigvintsev was made after a thorough review of the criminal investigation and careful evaluation of the evidence presented to the DA’s Office,” a press release obtained by Fox News Digital stated.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
“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,” Haley said in the release. “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.”
In his statement, Chigvintsev said he remains focused on being the best father he can be as he continues to move forward.
“[Matteo] is my world, and being his father is the greatest blessing in my life,” he told E! News. “All along, my main concern has been for him. I am committed to continuing to provide him with the love, support, and care he needs as we move forward. I am hopeful that securing an equal custody arrangement will help us move on.”
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
He continued, “I want to express my deepest gratitude to my family, friends, and legal team for standing by me during this challenging time. Your support has been invaluable, and I am thankful to everyone who believed in me and saw the truth for what it was. I look forward to moving past this chapter and focusing on what truly matters—continue being the best father I can be.”
On Sept. 11, Bella filed paperwork to end her marriage to Chigvintsev, Fox News Digital confirmed at the time.
The “Total Divas” star submitted a petition for dissolution of marriage with minor children in the Superior Court of Napa, California.
Chigvintsev was arrested two days after the former couple celebrated their two-year wedding anniversary.
“This song is our love story,” the former WWE star, whose legal name is Nikki Garica, wrote on Instagram, alongside a video montage of their wedding day with the song, “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” playing in the background. “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.”
Chigvintsev posted his own Instagram tribute, writing: “Happy anniversary my love, can’t see my life without you. You are my everything.”
Fox News Digital’s Tracy Wright contributed to this report.
