Dylan Howard, the editor-in-chief of the National Enquirer, is finally opening up about how he broke the story that Charlie Sheen is HIV-positive. The journalist claims he went from being a trusted confidant and friend to Sheen to getting threats from the actor after going public with the shocking facts. Howard detailed his two-year quest to get the story straight in a new essay for The Hollywood Reporter, where he says that Sheen’s right to privacy was far outweighed by the risk to those who were not informed about his HIV status. The former Anger Management star, who Howard claims spent $1.6 million on prostitutes in a single year, reportedly exposed many girlfriends and sex partners to the virus without their knowledge. Here are five new bombshell claims from the Hollywood Reporter story about Sheen and his attempts to cover up how his wild lifestyle had put others at risk.
1. There was more to Sheen’s Aspen arrest than what we know. The former Two and a Half Men star was arrested on Christmas day in Aspen in 2009 and charged with second-degree assault, menacing and criminal mischief over a domestic dispute with his third wife, Brooke Mueller. Howard claims he examined texts between Mueller and a secret lover, who was allegedly having sex with both Mueller and Sheen at the same time, that revealed a much darker story. According to Howard, Mueller had been secretly photographing and videotaping what he describes as Sheen’s “crack-fueled encounters.” The reason Sheen exploded, Howard claims: Mueller told him about the tapes and allegedly threatened to publicly release them unless he tore up their prenuptial agreement and paid her $55,000 a month in child support.
2. Sheen was allegedly obsessed with passing drug tests. According to Howard’s essay, the Anger Management actor challenged the editor to come to his home and test his blood and urine for drugs in 2011 after reports surfaced of a cocaine-fueled incident where Sheen allegedly trashed a hotel room with porn star Capri Anderson locked in a bathroom. The tests came back negative. Sheen also reportedly insisted on taking an over-the-counter drug test with Howard shortly after Sheen filmed the now-infamous 20/20 interview, also in 2011, where he declared: “I am on a drug. It’s called Charlie Sheen. It’s not available because if you try it once, you will die.” He passed this test as well. Now, Howard raises questions about whether he used a synthetic urine device or had blood transfusions to cheat on these tests.
3. The actor allegedly employed a convicted child sex offender on set. Howard says he learned that Sheen allegedly hired a convicted child sex offender to work with him on one of his sets. “When the producers discovered the man’s past and tried to sack him, Charlie threatened to not work unless his friend was let back on set,” Howard wrote. “The producers backed down — although they refused to have him on the payroll.” Howard claims the sex offender was eventually on set every day, his salary personally covered by Sheen.
4. He reportedly had sex partners sign legal papers so they couldn’t accuse him of having HIV. Howard claims that Sheen had legal papers drawn up that all visitors and sex partners had to sign when they entered his home, Sober Valley Lodge. The contract allegedly said that visitors had to keep all communication and details of their interactions with Sheen confidential or face legal ramifications. One of the penalties for breaking the nondisclosure agreement: loss of any money gained from breaking the agreement. On top of that, if anyone had a problem with it, the papers stated that any challenge would be heard privately by a mediator, not in a court of law. “We understand, acknowledge and agree that there is no right to an appeal or a review of an arbitrator’s award as there would be of a judge or jury’s decision,” it reportedly stated.
5. Sheen allegedly made hush-money payments, gave out Amex cards and bought homes for people who knew about his HIV status. Howard reportedly obtained copies of Sheen’s 2013 financial records, which allegedly showed that he had given American Express cards to a number of women — each with a $15,000 limit. The editor also claims Sheen’s former drug dealer came forward and swore that Sheen paid off multiple sex partners. “He bought [one girl] a house in Calabasas and put her on his payroll to keep her quiet,” the source said. “There are tons of girls that get a regular check from Charlie to keep quiet.”
