Former “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” Star Denise Richards Files for Divorce Amid Allegations of Abuse

Denise Richards has filed for divorce from her husband, Aaron Phypers, after nearly seven years of marriage. The actress reportedly felt “devastated and relieved,” citing ongoing conflicts that left her “mentally exhausted” and happy to bring the marriage to an end.

Recently, Richards sought a temporary restraining order, claiming that Phypers was physically abusive during their relationship. She described being choked, slapped, and violently restrained multiple times, alleging he threatened her and himself if she reported him to authorities. The restraining order was granted, and a photo of Richards with a black eye was attached to the court request, which she said was caused during a fight in January 2022 at his now-closed medical clinic.

However, sources close to Phypers dispute this account. They claim that Richards sustained the injury after falling drunkenly on stairs at his office. Phypers has denied all abuse allegations, stating, “I have never physically or emotionally abused Denise — or anyone.”

Controversial On-Camera Incident

In a separate incident contemporaneous with the divorce, Richards’ former co-stars expressed concern over a threatening remark made by Phypers during a reality TV reunion. On “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” Season 10, he threatened to “crush [her] f–king hand” on camera, prompting immediate reactions from the cast, including stern remarks from Sutton Stracke and concern from Garcelle Beauvais, who shared her worry after seeing the clip on social media.

Richards claimed she was unaware of Phypers’ comment until she watched the scene later. When asked about the remark, she explained she understood it as a joke, despite the cast’s reactions. The incident intensified the scrutiny surrounding their relationship, which has now officially come to an end after Phypers’ divorce filing.