“DWTS”' Gleb Savchenko Sends Message to Artem Chigvintsev Following Former Pro's Arrest on Accusations of Domestic Violence
Chigvintsev was arrested in Napa Valley on Aug. 29 on a charge of corporal injury to spouse, and his wife Nikki Garcia filed for divorce two weeks later
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Gleb Savchenko (left), Artem ChigvintsevGleb Savchenko is speaking out in support of Artem Chigvintsev following the dancer's arrest.
Following the season 33 premiere of Dancing with the Stars on Sept. 17, Savchenko, who is paired up with model Brooks Nader this season, reflected on the turbulent few weeks Chigvintsev has had, as he told E! News that Chigvintsev, 42, is "part of the family."
The former DWTS pro was arrested on a felony charge of corporal injury to spouse in Napa Valley on Aug. 29, PEOPLE confirmed at the time. And while it was never officially stated, his wife Nikki Garcia was presumed to be the spouse involved.
On Sept. 11, Garcia, 40, filed for divorce from Chigvintsev. Her rep confirmed the news to PEOPLE, saying in a statement, "Nikki Garcia has filed for divorce. She continues to ask for privacy for her and her family at this time."
Savchenko, 41, told E! News that Chigvintsev is "just my brother and I send him love and positivity."
Related: Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev's Relationship Timeline
In Garcia's filing, which was obtained by PEOPLE, she cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split and listed their date of separation as Aug. 29, the same day that the dancer was arrested.
After Chigvintsev was booked in the Napa County Jail and given a $25,000 bail, he was released in less than an hour, according to intake records obtained by PEOPLE. Following the arrest, a rep for Garcia told PEOPLE it was a "private matter" and the retired WWE wrestler asked for "privacy."
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Artem Chigvintsev, Gleb Savchenko on 'Dancing with the Stars'Chigvintsev and Garcia share 4-year-old son Matteo, who Garcia has requested full legal and physical custody of. She requested that Chigvintsev be allowed visitation, and he then submitted his own paperwork requesting joint legal and physical custody of Matteo.
Chigvintsev also requested spousal support, per the documents obtained by PEOPLE.
His attorney Ilona Antonyan told PEOPLE that Chigvintsev "will not comment on any pending proceeding," and that the former couple is "focused on co-parenting and working together for the best interests of their son."
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Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella attend the PUBG Mobile's #FIGHT4THEAMAZON Event at Avalon Hollywood on December 09, 2019Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The former couple met in 2017 when they were paired up on season 25 of Dancing with the Stars, and reconnected in 2018 after Garcia ended her engagement to John Cena.
They got engaged in November 2019 and welcomed Matteo shortly after in July 2020. They tied the knot in Paris in August 2022, but Garcia's divorce filing revealed that they did not make the marriage legal until five months later in January 2023.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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