Drugs, family breakdowns and sex abuse allegations led to Nick and Aaron Carter’s epic fallout

Aaron and Nick went from tight-knit, baby-faced popstars to the source of explosive headlines. Here’s what led to their epic fallout.

When they were kids, Backstreet Boy Nick Carter and his brother Aaron found their sibling rivalry softened by Sesame Street.

After Elmo watched the Two-Headed Monster arguing on the children’s TV show in 2003, Aaron grinned, “It reminds me a little of us!”

The young heart-throbs then burst into song, serenading each other with the lines: “We’re two brothers, me and you, each with an opposite point of view.”

Fast forward 16 years and that seems like grotesque understatement.

RELATED: Aaron Carter steps out looking gaunt and dishevelled after brother serves restraining order against him

For the warring Carters, who have sold more than 100 million albums between them, have been torn apart by drugs, breakdowns and sensational sex abuse allegations.

They make squabbling Gallagher siblings Noel and Liam look like the clean-cut Jonas brothers.

The Carters’ latest fallout ended in Nick, 39, being granted a temporary restraining order against his younger brother on Monday after alleging that he had made threats to kill his pregnant wife.

Aaron was served a restraining order by older brother Nick this week. Picture: Supplied.

Furious Aaron, 31, responded on Twitter: “Take care Nick Carter. We’re done for life.”

Music had been a salvation for the pair, who grew up in a family of five siblings in Florida with bar-owning parents who were constantly fighting.

RISE TO FAME

Older brother Nick formed the Backstreet Boys in 1993 aged 13 with AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough and Kevin Richardson.

RELATED: Aaron Carter accuses late sister Leslie of sexual abuse

RELATED: Aaron Carter says Michael Jackson was once ‘inappropriate’

Angelic Nick, the youngest of the group, became lead singer and was catapulted to global success in the late 1990s.

But as Nick hit superstardom, Aaron — eight years younger — was also enjoying extraordinary adulation.

Aged just nine he was pushed on stage by the Backstreet Boys’ manager at a Berlin gig — and came away with a German record deal.

Nine months later his debut album came out and between 1999 and 2001 Nick and Aaron released four platinum albums between them.

In 2000, aged 12, Aaron described Nick as his “closest friend”, adding: “I can tell him anything.”

But there was resentment at the pair’s soaring fame from their own siblings, who called Nick the “cash cow”.

Sibling rivalry reared its ugly head when the brothers both reached popstardom. Picture: Getty.

Dad Bob said: “And when Nick grew up … Aaron was the cash cow.

‘Oh, mum only likes the cash cow.’ This is what the girls would say.”

Both boys were also under the influence of questionable adults.

INAPPROPRIATE ADULT RELATIONSHIPS

In 2007, the parents of the other members of the Backstreet Boys told Vanity Fair they believed the band’s manager Lou Pearlman “was definitely inappropriate” with Nick.

Pearlman died in jail in 2016 after a conviction for money laundering.

Aaron spent time with Michael Jackson, meeting him aged 10.

At a birthday bash for Jacko, he recalled: “Until 5am, me, him and a friend were out on four-wheelers, riding around in the mountains.”

RELATED: Aaron Carter calls Michael Jackson accusers ‘liars’ in fiery interview

“Nothing happened between me and Michael. We didn’t sleep in the same room and we didn’t share a bed,” Aaron said.

“We have a normal friendship. There’s nothing sexual to it.”

Aaron Carter said his friendship with Michael Jackson was ‘normal. Picture: Twitter.

FAILED ROMANCES AND FAMILY BREAKDOWNS

Through their teenage years both brothers became entangled with other troubled young stars.

Aaron was just 13 when he cheated on actress girlfriend Hilary Duff with Lindsay Lohan. He also dated heiress Paris Hilton.

Aged 15 he walked out on his parents on the grounds of mismanaged funds, claiming his mum Jane had creamed off more than $147,000.

When he turned 18, Aaron proposed to Playboy model Kari Ann Peniche on stage in Las Vegas in front of a crowd of 200. They called their romance off six days later.

Meanwhile, Nick developed a drug habit and was arrested in a Florida nightclub in 2002 for refusing to leave after a fight with a woman.

Backstreet Boys went on a hiatus between 2002 and 2004 and their subsequent comeback stalled.

The Backstreet Boys in 2001, shortly before their hiatus. Picture: AP.

LEGAL TROUBLE AND DRUG ADDICTION

The following year Nick was arrested in California on charges of drunk driving.

In 2006, with careers fading, they turned to reality TV, starring in House Of Carters with their family.

The show, which lasted just one series, exposed tensions between the brothers — who even had a fight on the night of the premiere.

In 2008, it was Aaron’s turn to be arrested after cops in Texas found more than two ounces of marijuana in his vehicle.

Soon after he checked into the Betty Ford rehab centre in California. Meanwhile, Nick — after years of abusing his body — was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a weakening of the heart muscle that, in extreme cases, can lead to sudden death.

The night before his test results were due back, he went on a bender.

Both brothers have struggled with drug addiction. Picture: AP.

He later revealed: “I went out and just went nuts. I drank so much and I did a bunch of blow (cocaine).”

But following the test results, he got clean and married Lauren Kitt, who is now pregnant with their second child.

Tragically, in 2012, the boys’ sister Leslie Carter, a 25-year-old mother of one, was found dead. It was later revealed she suffered an overdose, having been on several prescription medications.

The following year, Aaron filed a bankruptcy petition to cover more than $5 million in debts.

In 2017, the then-29-year-old was arrested in Georgia for driving under the influence and possession of marijuana. Once again, the brother’s relationship was brought into focus.

Nick posted on Twitter: “To my brother: I love u no matter what & if u feel the need to reach for help, I am here and willing to help you get better.”

Aaron said: “If my own blood truly cared about my wellbeing, why wouldn’t he call me directly and have a conversation instead of making this about him through a very public forum?” Several months later, Aaron again checked into rehab. Just as his life was imploding once again, so was brother Nick’s.

He was accused in 2017 of rape by former Dream singer Melissa Schuman in 2017, weeks after the start of the #MeToo movement. Schuman alleged that he had raped her in 2003 when she was 18 and he was 22.

Nick Carter was accused of rape in 2017. Picture: Supplied.

In a statement, Nick said: “Melissa never expressed to me while we were together or at any time since that anything we did was not consensual.”

In September 2018, the Los Angeles District lawyer declined to prosecute Nick due to the ten-year limitations period expiring.

AARON’S MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLE

Just this month, in an episode of US TV show The Doctors, Aaron revealed he was being affected by a litany of mental health problems.

He said: “I suffer from multiple personality disorder, schizophrenia, acute anxiety. I’m manic depressive.”

Aaron also shared for the very first time that he was addicted to huffing — a method of inhaling drugs — after being introduced to it by his late sister Leslie.

Both brothers still sing, with Aaron racking up 85 million Spotify streams for song Sooner Or Later, a 2017 single.

But earlier this year Lake Street Louie, Aaron’s musical collaborator, said: “They love each other to death, but the competition is so gnarly.”

Aaron was recently granted a gun licence and inherited his father’s 500-piece weapon collection.

NICK’S RESTRAINING ORDER

Nick was awarded a temporary restraining order, on Monday in Las Vegas, after claiming his sibling had made threats to kill his wife and their unborn child.

In court papers, he says Aaron and their sister Angel were talking via FaceTime in August when he said: “I have thoughts of killing babies.”

Nick tweeted: “We love our brother and truly hope he gets the proper treatment he needs … #mentalhealth #GunControlNow #GunControl.”

Responding via his spokesman, Aaron said: “I am astounded at the accusations being made against me and I do not wish harm to anyone, especially my family.”

A court hearing for a permanent restraining order has been set for October 16.

Now the music has stopped, there is no brotherly love lost between these two.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission