Charlie Sheen: ‘I’m HIV positive,’ paid many who threatened to expose me

In an exclusive interview with TODAY’s Matt Lauer, actor Charlie Sheen says, “I’m here to admit that I am in fact HIV positive.” He says that reports that he has threatened the health of others “couldn’t be farther than the truth.” He says he first found out about his status “about four years ago” and initially thought he had a brain tumor. He says that he has paid people who threatened to reveal his HIV status, “They were deep in my inner circle,” he says, and adds, “we’re talking about shakedowns.” In terms of paying people now,  he says, “I think I release myself from this prison today.” He admits that he has had unprotected sex since his diagnosis, but that the two people involved were forewarned, and that he has told all his sexual partners about his status.