Brie Garcia is struggling to cope as her twin sister Nikki Garcia faces a challenging split from Artem Chigvintsev.
In a recent episode of The Nikki & Brie Show, Brie talked about how recent ‘trauma’ is affecting her mental state amid serious accusations of domestic violence from both parties.
Nikki did not join the episode, but Brie expressed her frustration and sadness, stating, ‘I’ve looked at trauma in the face over the last week and it has been so hard. But you realize it’s not your trauma, especially if you’re not the one dealing with it… it’s not for you to fix.’
She continued: ‘I have felt sadness in ways that maybe death could compare. I literally have lost sleep. I lay in my bed with my eyes open, and I think and I just think and think, and I think of so many different things….. But the major thing I think of is: How can I fix [things] and how can I help?’
Though she didn’t mention Nikki or Artem directly, Brie stressed the need for ‘taking accountability,’ reflecting Nikki’s own statements after filing a restraining order against Artem.
Brie Garcia is struggling to cope as her twin sister Nikki Garcia faces a challenging split from Artem Chigvintsev; (pictured in 2019)
In a recent episode of The Nikki & Brie Show , Brie talked about how recent ‘trauma’ is affecting her mental state amid serious accusations of domestic violence from both parties; (Artem and Nikki in 2019)
The podcast comes after Artem pushed back against serious allegations from his estranged wife Nikki as their divorce continues to heat up.
The Dancing with the Stars alum is denying claims of domestic violence, which Nikki detailed in a restraining order she obtained earlier this week.
In new legal documents, obtained by TMZ on Thursday, Artem accuses Nikki of fabricating the domestic violence allegations that led to his arrest in late August.
He portrays Nikki as the ‘aggressor’ in their troubled relationship, claiming her anger issues played a major role in the collapse of their two-year marriage.
In the restraining order, Nikki claims Artem ‘grew increasingly angry’ after being cut from Dancing with the Stars, leading to hostility and eventually violence.
Artem submitted photos of injuries to his hand, elbow, and head, alleging Nikki caused them and that these incidents led to his arrest.
The professional dancer claims the conflict that led to his arrest began on August 29 at their Napa home.
While he was making breakfast for their 4-year-old son, Nikki, stressed about a Netflix event, became upset and criticized him for not toasting the bread properly.
Artem claims the argument escalated when Nikki criticized him for packing both a quesadilla and chicken tenders in Matteo’s lunch.
He says she later yelled at him in the living room for not putting Matteo’s shoes on correctly.
Artem says defending himself angered Nikki more, leading her to throw sneakers at him and hit him in the chest.
As she shouted about divorce, Matteo stood frightened. Artem claims he took Matteo upstairs to protect him.
Artem claims Nikki followed him and Matteo to the bedroom, attempting to force the door open while he held it shut, with a crying Matteo beside him.
Artem is pushing back against serious allegations from his estranged wife, Nikki Garcia, as their divorce continues to heat up; seen in 2019
He portrays Nikki as the ‘aggressor’ in their troubled relationship, claiming her anger issues played a major role in the collapse of their two-year marriage; seen in 2019
Artem submitted photos of injuries to his hand, elbow, and head, alleging Nikki caused them and that these incidents led to his arrest
He alleges he managed to push through a gap in the door to exit and protect Matteo, but Nikki then barged in and physically confronted him, leading to a struggle on the floor.
Artem claims he managed to escape and called 911, informing the dispatcher of the situation.
He claims Nikki accused him of ruining her career during their confrontation.
In her filing, Nikki claimed that Chigvintsev had ‘tackled me multiple times and pinned me to the ground while our child was present’ during an argument over breakfast.
She claimed that Chigvintsev had become ‘increasingly angry, snapping at me and yelling’ after not being asked to return to Dancing With The Stars for season 33.
Nikki claims she had previously discussed Artem’s anger issues with him.
On August 29, she alleges he became furious over how to toast their son Matteo’s English muffin, yelling at her and blaming her for Matteo being a ‘picky eater.’
Nikki admitted to throwing a shoe at Artem in frustration, though she insisted it was too small to hurt him, and she claims he then took Matteo upstairs, leading to a confrontation at the bedroom door where Artem tackled her.
Nikki claims Artem held her arms down for about 30 seconds before releasing her and returning to Matteo’s room, closing the door. When she attempted to enter again, he allegedly pushed her forcefully across the hall into their bedroom.
Nikki alleges that Artem pinned her to the ground in their bathroom, pressing down on her chest and making her feel suffocated until she grabbed his neck to escape.
When police arrived after her 911 call, their son reportedly told them, ‘Daddy hurt my hand.’
Chigvintsev was arrested and jailed on domestic violence charges in Napa County on August 29
In a recent filing, Nikki recounted another incident in mid-2023 where Artem allegedly grabbed her around the waist to keep her away from their toddler, claiming he subjected her to verbal abuse as well.
She expressed concern about Matteo growing up in a tumultuous environment and requested that Artem undergo therapy and anger management.
A judge granted her restraining order, barring Artem from contacting or approaching Nikki, Matteo, or their home, except for court-ordered visits. Nikki also sought permission to travel with Matteo to London for a new project.
But the judge ‘denied the request until a full hearing is held on October 21,’ TMZ reported.
Sourced told the outlet Thursday that Artem has not been living at the family’s Napa home since the August 29th incident.
An official ‘move-out order’ will not be granted by the judge until the October 21st hearing takes place.
News of the restraining order comes one week after Chigvintsev broke his silence over his shock DV arrest as he reacted to prosecutors declining to file charges against him over the incident.
‘I am incredibly relieved and grateful that the domestic violence charges against me have been dropped,’ he began in a statement to People last Wednesday. ‘This has been an extremely difficult time for me. I am thankful that the truth has prevailed. My focus has always been and will always be, our son Matteo.’
Chigvintsev explained that his four-year-old, who he shares with his estranged wife Nikki Garcia, is his ‘world’ and being ‘his father is the greatest blessing.’
‘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,’ the reality star explained of his mindset following the arrest and ongoing divorce.
‘I am hopeful that securing an equal custody arrangement will help us move on,’ he shared. ‘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.’
Chigvintsev concluded his statement by saying: ‘I look forward to moving past this chapter and focusing on what truly matters—continue being the best father I can be.’
Chigvintsev’s attorney, Ilona Antonyan, went on to note that her client is focused on ‘negotiating a shared 50/50 custody schedule.’
But the charges were dropped last week following a ‘thorough’ criminal investigation by the Napa County District Attorney; the couple seen in 2017
Since Garcia filed for divorce last month, he ‘has been able to spend time with Matteo almost every day since 8/29/2024 incident.’
Antonyan went on to describe Chigvintsev as a ‘very dedicated, interactive, nurturing, and loving parent.’
‘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. 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,’ she told People.
Although his lawyer pointed out that ‘ivorce is never easy,’ she expressed hope that ‘once custody is settled, the remaining issues tend to be less emotionally charged and easier to resolve.’
In the meantime, Chigvintsev remains ‘fully committed to fostering a positive co-parenting relationship with his ex.’
DailyMail.com has reached out to Chigvintsev and Garcia’s representatives, but have not heard back, at this time.
On Tuesday, Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley announced that her office has declined to file criminal charges against Chigvintsev, 42, in connection with his August 29 arrest on suspicion of felony domestic violence.
The decision to not file charges against Chigvintsev was made after a thorough review of the criminal investigation and careful evaluation of the evidence presented to the DA’s Office, officials said.
News of the restraining order comes one week after Chigvintsev broke his silence over his shock DV arrest as he reacted to prosecutors declining to file charges against him over the incident
‘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 a statement obtained by DailyMail.com.
Haley said, ‘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.’
Domestic violence can either be filed as a felony or a misdemeanor and has a statute of limitations of three years or one year, respectively.
At any time within the statute of limitations, the Napa County District Attorney’s Office may revisit the case if it learns of other incidents, or otherwise learns of facts or evidence not previously known.
Haley added that the Napa County District Attorney’s Victim Services Division works closely with victims of domestic violence and other crimes and links them to available resources whether charges are filed or not.
Earlier this month, the Dancing With The Stars pro cited ‘irreconcilable differences’ as the reason for their split in his own divorce filing.
He listed the date of separation as August 29 – which was the same day that he was arrested for felony domestic violence charges following the alleged altercation at their home in Napa, California.
Chigvintsev has also requested for joint legal and physical custody of his and Nikki’s four-year-old son, Matteo. The Russian-born dancer has asked for spousal support, and also requested that Garcia pay for his legal fees.
‘This has been an extremely difficult time for me. I am thankful that the truth has prevailed. My focus has always been and will always be, our son Matteo,’ he told PEOPLE in a statement
In the filing, Artem claimed that he was a putative spouse between the dates of August 26, 2022 and January 19, 2023.
A putative spouse is an individual who believes they are legally married to someone, but the marriage itself is not valid.
Just days before the pro dancer was placed into handcuffs, the couple had marked their second wedding anniversary.
At the time, Chigvintsev shared a heartfelt message in an Instagram post that read, ‘Happy anniversary my love, can’t see my life without you. You are my everything.’