The 42-year-old 'Dancing with the Stars' pro was arrested and booked into Napa County Jail on a felony domestic violence charge following an incident on Thursday morning, August 29.
- August 30, 2024
AceShowbiz - Artem Chigvintsev's mugshot has been released. The "Dancing with the Stars" pro, who was just arrested for domestic violence in California, looked regretful in the picture.
The 42-year-old was booked into Napa County Jail following an incident on Thursday morning, August 29. His bail was set at $25,000, according to jail records and online sources and he was reportedly released at 2:18 P.M.
The incident that led to Artem's arrest took place somewhere in the town of Yountville. According to TMZ, the TV personality was reportedly arrested at the scene and there were injuries involved.
Further details on the ordeal remain unclear. However, his wife Nikki Bella, posted an Instagram story the day before indicating she was also in Napa Valley at the time.
Years before the domestic violence arrest, Artem was once accused of "kicking and shoving" one of his former dance partners. Fern Britton, who was partnered with the Russian native during her time on BBC's "Strictly Come Dancing" in 2012, recalled the time they worked together during an event for the Times in 2015.
"[Artem] would look at my feet and just kick me or shove me," the British television presenter claimed at the time, per HuffPost UK. She then remembered Artem saying, " 'You just stand there and don't move; I dance round you.' "
The 67-year-old alleged that Artem would threaten her. "He was like, 'Shut your face. Go home before I kill you,' " she claimed. "I would say, 'Oh please, just kill me, it would be easier.' Or what was his other one? 'If you go for a cup of tea now, I will blow off like an atomic bomb.' I thought, 'Well, I won't correct him on that one.' "
Artem has denied Fern's claims though. "I believe I treated Fern with respect and genuine care and these claims about me are the opposite of everything I believe in and the person I am," he told the Daily Express. "I cannot imagine what has prompted such statements which come as a shock to me."