Denise Richards and Aaron Phypers’ breakup has hit a sinister note, and now both parties are hurling serious accusations.
Only days after Aaron asked for a divorce, Denise’s attorney is striking back hard at his outlandish accusations, allegations of sexual infidelity, drug abuse, and even physical assault. In an incendiary statement to PEOPLE, Denise’s attorney Brett Berman refuted the claims and instead accused Phypers of being the abusive one and manipulator during their six-year union. As Berman reports, Phypers not only intimidated Denise but also made off with her personal information from her laptop and phone after she obtained a temporary restraining order against him.
Berman alleges, “Mr. Phypers has persisted in harassing Ms. Richards since being served… by posting private information.” And even after being cautioned, he reportedly won’t let up. Richards, 54, is not dignifying Phypers’ claims publicly and vows she’ll deal with it all in court. In turn, Phypers, 53, is firing back as well. Speaking to PEOPLE in a statement, he threw shade Denise’s way with a Real Housewives zing, calling out that she was again experiencing one of her “upside-down jacket” moments and asserting that her crew is spinning the story. He also asserted that nothing was pilfered, only her “moral compass,” in his opinion.
All this follows Phypers’ bombshell TMZ interview on July 19 in which he accused Denise of infidelity at the beginning of 2024. He says he found texts and selfies between Denise and another guy on her laptop. Rather than breaking up immediately, he explained they attempted to move on but that things continued to escalate. He accused her of physically attacking him, hitting, scratching, and even throwing his phone.
Only the day after, on July 20th, Phypers doubled back by writing a letter to friends and relatives asserting Denise is addicted to Vicodin, which she combines with Adderall and tequila. He claims she calls the pills “Vitamin D” or “white chestnuts” and has passed out due to the combination, even while driving with their 14-year-old daughter Eloise. He went on to say that her diet is gone and insisted she requires an intervention. Denise has not actually commented on the drug addiction allegations but insists Phypers was the physically abusive one while they were together.
As per court filings, Denise claims Aaron would strangle her with force, bash her head against things, and threaten to kill her. Those charges resulted in the temporary restraining order granted to her this month. Phypers has flatly denied all abuse allegations as being “completely false and deeply hurtful.”
The two wed in 2018, and their breakup went formal when Aaron filed for divorce on July 7 citing “irreconcilable differences” and specifying their date of separation as July 4. It is a far cry from over in terms of this war in court, and with each side accusing the other of egregious wrongdoing, it’s now a battle of wits in the courtroom riddled with gunpowder allegations, shattered trust, and plenty of legal ammunition.
Jamie Wells has a knack for getting the inside scoop on Hollywood’s biggest stars and up-and-coming talent. With a sharp eye for industry trends and an ear for viral moments, Jamie covers everything from red-carpet events to behind-the-scenes drama in movies, TV, and celebrity culture.
