Elmo Accuser Re-Recants, Says He Got Settlement From Puppeteer To Stay Quiet

If you thought the Elmo sex abuse scandal was over when accuser Sheldon Stephens recanted his tale of abuse at the hands of Kevin Clash, best known as the voice behind Sesame Street’s beloved furry red monster Elmo, it seems the scandal is back to square one.

The Elmo-related abuse scandal began when Stephens, an aspiring model, accused Clash, who voices Elmo, of taking advantage of him in a relationship while the former was still a minor and the latter was 45.

Clash, who admits that he is openly gay, denied the allegations and explained the two were consenting adults.

After the Elmo scandal blew up, Stephens retracted his story and said that the relationship was indeed above board, legal, between consenting adults, and added that he would comment no further about the Elmo sex abuse allegations. But the calm after the scandal lasted mere days before the younger man began claiming he had been paid off and pressured by Clash to lie about his accusations with a six-figure sum.

Now the Elmo accuser not only has alleged a pay-off but says that he is seeking to re-recant and return the cash to Clash in a bid to restore his credibility.

TMZ reports that Stephens is now visiting Los Angeles lawyers in an effort to undo the settlement, and the site reports:

“We’ve learned Stephens has met with lawyers in Los Angeles and told them he was pressured into recanting his allegation and insists he’s telling the truth when he says he had sex with Clash when he was 16 … Stephens — who is now 23 — is telling lawyers he will gladly forfeit the $125,000 to restore his name. Stephens is saying he was literally crying during the final negotiations and repeatedly said he didn’t want to sign.”

As the Elmo sex scandal re-ignites, lawyers for Clash have declined to comment on the renewed allegations from Stephens.