While Nikki Bella wanted to claim sole custody of her son with ex-husband Artem Chigvintsev, the latter has vouched for shared custody. Now that he’s released from all the initial accusations of being the main guilty in the domestic battery incident, he can go full-fledged to claim his demands.
The Dancing with the Stars contestant and mentor will focus on negotiating with Nikki Bella for shared custody of their son Matteo now that his domestic violence charges have been dropped, according to what his lawyer has to offer. Speaking with E News, the attorney said that Artem will now “focus on negotiating a shared 50/50 custody schedule” with his estranged wife.
“Artem is fully committed to fostering a positive co-parenting relationship with his ex,” Ilona Antonyan of Antonyan Miranda, LLP said in a statement. “Divorce is never easy, but once custody is settled, the remaining issues tend to be less emotionally charged and easier to resolve.”
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The attorney also noted how Chigvintsev was able to spend time with Matteo “almost every day” since August 29, the day that he was arrested under California penal code section 273.5 (a) PC which relates to acts of violence against a spouse or other cohabitant. There was no confirmation on whether Nikki Bella ended up being on the victim’s side.
After getting bail shortly after that incident, a further press release came from The Napa County District Attorney’s Office which mentioned that they are strictly against any domestic battery case but due to no required evidence found against Nikki Bella’s husband, no charges will be filed against him.
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Artem Chigvintsev speaks on his focus amid Nikki Bella’s divorce filing
Elated with the circumstance, Chigvintsev who married Nikki Bella in 2022, had the following to say about the situation,
“My focus has always been and will always be, our son Matteo. He is my world, and being his father is the greatest blessing in my life. All along, my main concern has been for him.”
Chigvintsev’s attorney, Ilona Antonyan further provided an exclusive statement to PEOPLE regarding the ongoing divorce between her client and Nikki Bella. It was noted that with the support from his beloved family and friends, he will continue to move along from this situation. Mentioning that he never was the primary aggressor, his sole focus will be on securing the half custody of Matteo.
“My understanding of the investigated facts surrounding the 8/29/24 incident have led me to conclude from the beginning that Artem was not the primary aggressor,” the lawyer reflected her view of the Nikki Bella-Artem Chigvintsev incident. “I believe that to be true even if the burden of proof would be the preponderance of evidence, which is the standard of proof in family court. He was protecting himself and Matteo.”
As mentioned above, Chigvintsev was arrested in Napa Valley, California on a charge of corporal injury to a spouse on August 29. He was initially booked in the Napa County Jail but was then given a $25,000 bail before being released in less than an hour. People reached out to Nikki Bella’s representative but nothing was returned in response.
