Elmo puppeteer faces new child sex abuse lawsuit

A man has sued a former Sesame Street puppeteer who resigned amid sex abuse allegations, saying the actor met him a dozen years ago after trawling gay telephone chat lines for underage boys for sex.

The lawsuit, seeking unspecified damages, was filed in US District Court in Manhattan by a Florida man who remains anonymous, making him the third person to make claims against Kevin Clash, who resigned from Sesame Street last week.

Clash denied the first claim, which was recanted the next day. But Clash resigned after a 24-year-old student sued him for $5m (€3.9m), saying Clash engaged in sexual behaviour with him when he was 15.

According to the latest lawsuit, a 29-year-old man said he met Clash on a chat line when he was 16 and was exploring modelling opportunities in New York.

After speaking by phone for several days, Clash invited the youth to visit his Manhattan apartment, the lawsuit said.

There, Clash gave the then teenager alcohol, and they engaged in sexual contact, the lawsuit said.

Clash’s lawyer, Michael Berger, said the federal cases filed against Clash are without merit.

“The cases and Mr Clash’s reputation will be defended vigorously,” said Berger.