Charlie Sheen's Controversies in 15 Clicks: Assault Charges, Drug Issues and HIV Diagnosis

Charlie Sheen and Kelly Preston had a gunshot incident during their relationship, and the story reemerged following the death of For Love of the Game actress on July 12, 2020.

In 2016, Sheen claimed during his My Violent Torpedo of Truth tour that Preston shot herself, calling it a "freak accident."

"I was downstairs early in the morning making coffee and I thought she was still asleep upstairs," he said, adding he heard a gunshot go off. "I thought, 'She did it, she finally f------ did it. She killed herself and they're going to f------ blame me.'"

Sheen added, "She explained to me that when she lifted my pants off the scale in the bathroom ... the tiny revolver I used to carry ... it fell out of the back jeans pocket and hit the floor and shot a bullet right between her legs. So she got hit with shrapnel from the toilet bowl."

He also joked about his ex looking so "hot" while standing there covered in blood.

In 1993, Heidi Fleiss was arrested and charged with five counts of pandering for running the infamous upscale prostitution ring in which the rich and famous — including Sheen — was involved.

The Anger Management star's name appeared on the black book where the ring listed the clients. Sheen testified in court and admitted to spending $53,000 a year on the services — something Fleiss corrected.

"On the stand he said a much lower amount than he actually spent with me," she claimed. "He probably spent closer to $300,000 or $400,000 on girls. I like that he just does what he wants and he pays for women. But I think it's terrible they blackmailed him [over his HIV diagnosis]."

Only a few days after the new year, Sheen and his then-wife, Denise Richards, released a joint statement addressing their divorce.

"Denise and Charlie are working with the Courts to privately resolve their differences regarding their children," the statement read. "They hope to resolve this matter outside of the public forum and will both continue to make every effort in this regard."

They legally became single again on November 30, 2006, but the drama did not stop there as they entered a custody battle and legal case following Richards' allegations he was not providing his daughters his promised financial support.

Amid the filming of the Two and a Half Men series, publicist Stan Rosenfield said Charlie decided to take time off and voluntarily check into a rehab clinic. CBS also released a joint statement with Warner Bros. Television to confirm the development.

"[We] support Charlie Sheen in his decision today to begin voluntary in-patient care at a treatment center. We wish him nothing but the best as he deals with this personal matter. Production on Two and a Half Men will be temporarily suspended," creator/producer Chuck Lorre said.

Months after his arrest, Charlie pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault in a domestic abuse case to withdraw two of his other charges. He received a 30-day sentence in a California rehabilitation center on top of his 30-day probation and 36 hours of anger management.

Charlie was admitted to the Cedars-Sinai Hospital in January 2011 after suffering from severe stomach pains. TMZ said the Hot Shots! Part Deux star was taken from his house on a stretcher, marking the third time he visited a medical facility in three months.

Then-CBS's head of entertainment, Nina Tassler, expressed her "high level of concern about Charlie following the hospitalization.

Charlie launched a $100 million lawsuit against Warner Bros. and Lorre for wrongfully terminating him and breaching their contract. He sought his unpaid wages and $100 million worth of compensatory damages.

"The suspension and termination of Mr. Sheen occured only after Mr. Sheen had finally been provoked into criticizing Lorre in response to his harassment and disparagement campaign which had been going on for years," the lawsuit read.

Following a report claiming he has HIV, Charlie marked his appearance on Today, confirming he was diagnosed with HIV around 2010 or 2011. He added he kept his secret by paying $10 million.

"It started with what I thought was a series of crushing headaches," he said. "I thought I had a brain tumor. I thought it was over."

He clarified it was impossible for him to know he transmitted the virus to others, admitting he had unprotected intercourses with two people since his diagnosis.