Artem Chigvintsev says he considered posting viral mugshot on Instagram as it made him 'more famous'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Artem Chigvintsev discussed his viral mugshot on the Tuesday, February 25, episode of the 'Glamorous Grind' podcast.
The former 'Dancing with the Stars' pro was arrested in August 2024 after an alleged incident involving his now-ex-wife, Nikki Garcia. The domestic violence charges against him were dropped the following month by the Napa County District Attorney after an investigation.
Artem Chigvintsev jokes viral mugshot made him more famous than winning 'Dancing with the Stars'
Reflecting on his mugshot, the 42-year-old said, "I was hoping I’m going to get a mugshot, like, what’s his name, Frank Sinatra, but that was not the case."
He shared that he considered posting the image online.
"I mean it’s kind of funny but I was, like, this close to putting on my Instagram — [my] mugshot," Chigvintsev shared.
"It’s probably gonna be very sarcastic to a lot of people, but I was like, ‘God, this thing made me more famous and more talked about than winning 'Dancing with the Stars', being nominated for an Emmy.’ That’s what made me more famous," he added, as per Us Weekly.
Artem Chigvintsev says 'no one cares' that the charges were dropped
Sharing his frustration over the public perception of the case, the professional dancer said, "No one cares."
"It’s just sad because people just want to see you fail and want to believe in things like bad things more than actually if you succeed at something. It’s just so sad," Chigvintsev expressed.
He acknowledged the support of those close to him but noted how the arrest shaped public opinion.
"The people who know me are still there," Chigvintsev said. He also pointed out that his arrest led to a presumption of guilt, stating, "Because I was the one who was arrested, I was presumed to be immediately guilty."
Artem Chigvintsev thinks whole incident was 'blown out of proportion'
When asked about the downside of fame, Artem Chigvintsev downplayed his celebrity status.
"I don’t ever consider myself a celebrity and, to be fair, like, I think, this whole thing is completely blown out of proportion. Period," the former 'DWTS' pro claimed.
One week after his arrest, Chigvintsev and Garcia, 41, filed for divorce.
While Garcia sought full custody of their four-year-old son, Matteo, Chigvintsev requested joint custody. Both also filed restraining orders, which were dropped when they reached a divorce settlement in November 2024.
Reflecting on the situation, Chigvintsev expressed no regrets.
"I don’t think I would change anything that I’ve done, so it’s not that," Chigvintsev said. When asked if he had any regrets, he simply replied, "No."
