White Nationalist leader Richard Spencer’s wife Nina Kouprianova has accused him of being “physically, emotionally, verbally and financially abusive” in divorce filings, Buzzfeed News reports.
Kouprianova made allegations of “being hit, being grabbed, being dragged around by her hair, being held down in a manner causing bruising, and being prevented from calling for help” in documents seeking to dissolve her eight-year marriage to Spencer, with whom she shares two young children. Kouprianova reportedly alleges that much of the abuse she endured occurred in front of their children, and says that she didn’t go to police or seek an order of protection out of fear of retaliation from her husband. She also says Spencer tried to punch her in the face when she was nine months pregnant, and that he repeatedly told her, “The only language women understand is violence.”
According to the filings, Kouprianova claims that Spencer’s “controversial public life” has led to “his entire family” becoming targets of violence. She alleges, “Despite the risk to his family, [Spencer] continues to engage in extremely polarizing public speech advocating ‘peaceful ethnic cleansing’ and a white-only ‘ethno-state’ which tends to invite passions and violence.”
Buzzfeed News notes that Spencer said in court filings that he “denies each, every, and all allegations.” Both his and his wife’s attorneys reportedly attempted to seal the divorce filings three times, though the motions were denied by a judge.
Kouprianova and Spencer, who were married in August 2010, have reportedly been living apart since March 2017. She maintains a residence in Whitefish, Montana, while he has a separate home there as well as a home in the Washington, D.C., area. The divorce filings were made in Flathead County District Court in Montana.
Kouprianova further claims that Spencer has increased his “alcohol consumption” and called their children’s babysitter a “fucking sub-mediocre human being.” She additionally detailed a particularly disturbing instance of abuse that allegedly occurred five months they got married, when she was sick. Per BuzzFeed News:
“I was very sick with the stomach flu, could not keep food or water down, and wanted to stay in bed recovering. Mr. Spencer wanted to watch a movie downstairs and did not take ‘no’ for an answer,” she wrote. “He dragged me out of bed by my arms, legs, and hair, dragged me down the stairs, and threw me onto the couch. At that point he calmed down and turned on his movie. The incident resulted in bruises.”
In a separate affidavit, Spencer countered, “None of the allegations of ‘abuse’ have anything to do with my children.” He also said that his wife “obviously and litigiously tries to rope the children into our dispute by saying they they were in the room next door or they overheard abusive talk.”
Read the full Buzzfeed News report here.
