Aaron Phypers Arrested in Court Amid Divorce Battle with Denise Richards
Aaron Phypers, the estranged husband of actress Denise Richards, was reportedly arrested inside a Los Angeles courtroom on Friday.
According to Fox News, the actor was handcuffed and detained on spousal abuse charges during a court hearing tied to his contentious divorce from the Wild Things star. Witnesses told reporters that after Phypers was escorted out, officers returned to the courtroom to retrieve his cell phone. He was allegedly heard shouting and arguing with sheriff’s deputies on an escalator.
Page Six has reached out to representatives for both Phypers and Richards for comment.
Richards was previously granted a temporary restraining order against Phypers in July and is now seeking to make the order permanent.
Earlier this month, the 54-year-old actress and star of Denise Richards & Her Wild Things testified that Phypers had been violent with her on multiple occasions.
According to People, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum told the court that the alleged incidents left her with “at least three concussions” and a black eye from an altercation in January 2022.
In one incident, Richards testified that Phypers “was squeezing [her] head so hard” and “picked [her] head up,” making her feel as if he was “crushing [her] skull.” She also recounted another altercation in May, during which Phypers allegedly “smashed [her] on the top of [her] head with the palm of his hand while screaming at [her], ‘Give me your f***ing phone.’”
Phypers took the stand to deny the allegations, claiming Richards bruises easily. “She would bruise her arms, all sorts of stuff. She’d bruise herself while cooking … falling down,” he testified. “I don’t abuse my wife.” He alleged that he had frequently seen Richards injure herself and insisted that the injuries were not caused by him.
In addition to denying the abuse allegations, Phypers accused Richards of infidelity and substance abuse, alleging that she misused painkillers and alcohol.
The legal battle has also extended to finances. In court documents obtained by Page Six, Phypers requested half of Richards’ earnings from OnlyFans — which he claims amount to between $200,000 and $300,000 per month. He argued that the income was “our joint income that we built and earned together,” asserting ownership of the intellectual property rights since he allegedly took the photographs for her page.
“I do not believe this constitutes spousal support,” Phypers stated in his declaration, “but a property right to half of the jointly earned OnlyFans business income.”
He further claimed he is “about to be evicted,” “out of money,” and “financially desperate,” and is behind on utilities and other bills.
Richards and Phypers married in 2018. Phypers filed for divorce in July 2025, citing “irreconcilable differences.”
