Aaron Phypers arrested in Los Angeles courtroom as Denise Richards seeks permanent restraining order; new filings target her OnlyFans earnings

Aaron Phypers, the estranged husband of actress Denise Richards, was arrested in a Los Angeles courtroom on Friday, October 17, 2025 during a hearing tied to Richards’ request for a permanent restraining order. Court officers executed a felony warrant issued on October 16, and Phypers was later booked at the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station on $200,000 bail. The restraining-order matter was continued to Friday, November 7, keeping temporary protections in place while the criminal case advances.

What the new arrest stems from

The felony warrant lists four counts: two counts of injuring a spouse or cohabitant and two counts of dissuading a witness by force or threat. The alleged incidents date to January and May 2022. Richards gave sworn testimony earlier this month describing multiple episodes of physical abuse, including head trauma that she says resulted in concussions and a black eye following a post-surgery recovery period.

Phypers has denied all allegations of abuse and maintains that claims about violence are false. His legal team has argued that the criminal counts trace back to disputes already at issue in the couple’s domestic-violence and divorce cases, which began to unfold publicly this summer.

Divorce battle expands to money: Phypers seeks share of OnlyFans income

While the criminal case takes shape, the divorce—filed in July 2025—is intensifying. In new civil filings this week, Phypers sought half of Richards’ OnlyFans earnings, asserting that he helped create content and holds intellectual-property rights to many photos. He characterized the request as a property claim, not spousal support, and said he has been cut off from what he views as joint income. The paperwork also describes financial distress, including the risk of eviction and overdue bills.

Richards’ side has pushed back throughout the summer and fall, saying she is the content creator and disputing any ownership claims by Phypers. Their legal teams have traded sharply conflicting narratives over finances, fidelity, and conduct during the marriage.

How the cases connect—and what happens next

The courtroom arrest does not resolve the divorce or the restraining-order proceedings; it adds parallel criminal exposure that could alter leverage and timelines. A felony case typically proceeds with an initial appearance and, if prosecutors press forward, a preliminary hearing to test probable cause before trial. The November 7 date in the civil restraining-order matter will now unfold against the backdrop of the new criminal charges and any bail conditions set after booking.

Key near-term markers to watch:

• Bail and conditions: Whether the $200,000 bail is modified and what protective orders or no-contact terms are attached.

• Charging documents: The complaint and affidavit detailing the alleged 2022 incidents and any witness statements.

• Discovery crossover: How evidence in the criminal case overlaps with the restraining-order file and the divorce (texts, medical records, photos, and third-party testimony).

The allegations on both sides, in brief

• Richards’ claims: A pattern of physical abuse and threats, including head and facial impacts leading to multiple concussions, and coercive control in the home. She is asking the court to convert an existing temporary restraining order into a permanent one.

• Phypers’ response: Categorical denial of physical abuse; counter-allegations that Richards engaged in substance misuse and infidelity; and fresh property claims on digital-content revenue streams. He has also portrayed himself as financially strained since the split.

Because some claims involve events from 2022, expect the legal fight to revolve around corroboration: medical reports, timestamped media, neighbor or family accounts, phone records, and any prior police contacts.

Relationship timeline

• 2018: Richards and Phypers marry.

• 2022: Window for alleged domestic-violence incidents now cited in felony counts.

• July 2025: Phypers files for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.

• Summer–Fall 2025: Both sides file declarations and letters making competing accusations; Richards secures temporary restraining protections.

• October 16–17, 2025: Felony warrant issued; courtroom arrest the next day during a restraining-order hearing.

• November 7, 2025: Next scheduled date on the restraining-order calendar.

Why this is legally significant

Domestic-violence allegations often surface in civil courts first, but felony charges elevate the stakes: convictions can bring custodial time, mandatory counseling, and long-term firearm prohibitions, and they can affect property negotiations and support orders in the divorce. The witness-dissuasion counts add another layer; if proved, they suggest not only underlying abuse but attempts to interfere with testimony, which courts view as aggravating.

What remains unverified or subject to change

• A final criminal charging decision beyond the warrant stage could narrow or expand counts.

• Forensic and medical findings (e.g., concussion documentation) may become public in redacted form as exhibits, but are not yet fully visible on the record.

• The financial picture around digital-content revenue and IP claims will depend on contracts, work-for-hire definitions, and platform data the court has not yet adjudicated.

The case between Denise Richards and Aaron Phypers is no longer a purely civil slog. With a felony arrest now in play and the restraining-order hearing reset for November 7, the next few weeks will determine whether prosecutors press ahead to a preliminary hearing—and how that trajectory reshapes the couple’s already volatile divorce and financial disputes.