Aaron Phypers, the estranged husband of actress Denise Richards, was arrested Friday (October 17, 2025) afternoon inside a Los Angeles courtroom on felony spousal abuse charges. The arrest occurred during a contentious hearing where Richards was seeking to extend a temporary restraining order against Phypers.
Phypers, 53, was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant related to felony domestic violence accusations made by Richards. According to his attorney, Michael Finley, Phypers was unaware of the warrant prior to the hearing. Witnesses reported that Phypers appeared visibly upset as officers handcuffed him and escorted him from the courtroom.
Finley told TMZ that his client “was arrested on an outstanding warrant believed to be connected to Denise’s allegations of physical abuse,” adding that Phypers and his legal team believe he may have been “set up” by Richards and her attorneys, possibly incriminating himself in today’s proceedings.”
According to court documents, Phypers faces four felony charges: two counts of injuring a spouse or cohabitant and two counts of dissuading a witness by force or threat. Three of the alleged incidents reportedly took place on January 17, 2022, with another occurring on May 3, 2022.
Phypers has been released on a $200,000 bond.
The arrest represents a dramatic escalation in the couple’s increasingly bitter divorce proceedings. Phypers filed for divorce from Richards in July 2025, citing irreconcilable differences. Ten days later, Richards was granted a temporary restraining order based on allegations of physical and emotional abuse throughout their marriage, which began in 2018.
During earlier court proceedings this month, Richards testified that her former husband “caused me at least three concussions” during their marriage. She also claimed he attempted to damage her reputation by stealing her laptop and leaking sensitive photographs to the media.
In a video recording played in court, Richards addressed Phypers directly: “You were the last person I thought would do that to me. I don’t know why I’m having a hard time with this. Things were bad with Charlie and I, but he never hit below the belt.”
Phypers has consistently denied Richards’s allegations, stating in a previous statement: “I absolutely deny the false allegations that I violated the restraining order or stole Denise’s laptop or cellphones. These claims are not only untrue, they are being weaponized to damage my reputation and distract from the truth.”
The case has drawn significant media attention as the divorce battle intensifies. Phypers is reportedly seeking spousal support and half of Richards’s OnlyFans income, which he claims reaches up to $300,000 per month. He argues he is entitled to a portion of these earnings because he took many of her photographs.
Richards, 54, best known for her roles in Wild Things and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, left the courthouse Friday without commenting to reporters. The judge extended the temporary restraining order, with the next hearing scheduled for November 7, where the court will revisit the restraining order and potentially address the criminal charges.
