Ex-Elmo puppeteer hit with another sex abuse claim
MIAMI (AP) - Another man on Monday sued the former Elmo puppeteer who resigned amid sex abuse allegations, claiming the voice actor befriended him in Miami and promised to be a father figure before flying the teen to New York to have sex with him.
The alleged victim is now the fourth to accuse Kevin Clash, who resigned from "Sesame Street" last month after 28 years. The three legal actions filed so far have been civil cases seeking financial compensation.
But the incident with the latest victim, referred to only as S.M., could involve criminal charges because the lawsuit claims Clash transported him across state lines for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.
Attorney Jeff Herman said he encouraged his client to report the incident to authorities but it's unclear if the now-33-year-old alleged victim has done so.
Sexual abuse allegations against Clash triggered a media frenzy last month. He quickly denied the first claim, which was recanted the next day. But Clash then resigned after a 24-year-old college student, Cecil Singleton, sued him for $5 million, saying the actor engaged in sexual behavior with him when he was 15.
Singleton claims the voice actor met him in New York a dozen years ago after trolling gay telephone chat lines and seeking underage boys for sex.
In the latest case, the plaintiff said Clash approached him on Miami Beach, complimented his appearance and struck up a friendship. Clash returned home to New York, but stayed in touch with the teen, promising to be a dad to him. The youth, who was 16 or 17 at the time, had been molested by a teacher and was considering running away from home, according to the lawsuit.
"These are all vulnerable boys. None of them had father figures in their lives and they were looking for that father figure," said Herman, who represents three of the alleged victims.
The lawsuit says Cash paid for a plane ticket from Florida to New York in 1996 and arranged for a car service to pick up the teen and bring him to his upscale apartment, where he gave him cash and showered him with "attention and affection" and ultimately engaged in numerous sexual acts.
Herman said he is poring over receipts and other documents to see if the car service was paid for by Cash's employers at Sesame Street.
"We're confident in the actions that we took, but because this is now an issue between litigants, we're not going to comment further," said Ellen Lewis, a publicist for Sesame Street.
Herman said the alleged victims didn't come forward sooner because they were afraid, but have found courage as others have spoken up.
He said they are compliant victims who participated in the sexual acts, but didn't consent because it's illegal for a minor to do so.
"Because they participated in the sex they feel like they're doing something wrong ... they're ashamed, they're embarrassed, not something they really want to talk about," he said.
Herman said he's been contacted by several other possible victims and is vetting their cases.
The alleged victim is now the fourth to accuse Kevin Clash, who resigned from "Sesame Street" last month after 28 years. The three legal actions filed so far have been civil cases seeking financial compensation.
But the incident with the latest victim, referred to only as S.M., could involve criminal charges because the lawsuit claims Clash transported him across state lines for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.
Attorney Jeff Herman said he encouraged his client to report the incident to authorities but it's unclear if the now-33-year-old alleged victim has done so.
Sexual abuse allegations against Clash triggered a media frenzy last month. He quickly denied the first claim, which was recanted the next day. But Clash then resigned after a 24-year-old college student, Cecil Singleton, sued him for $5 million, saying the actor engaged in sexual behavior with him when he was 15.
Singleton claims the voice actor met him in New York a dozen years ago after trolling gay telephone chat lines and seeking underage boys for sex.
In the latest case, the plaintiff said Clash approached him on Miami Beach, complimented his appearance and struck up a friendship. Clash returned home to New York, but stayed in touch with the teen, promising to be a dad to him. The youth, who was 16 or 17 at the time, had been molested by a teacher and was considering running away from home, according to the lawsuit.
"These are all vulnerable boys. None of them had father figures in their lives and they were looking for that father figure," said Herman, who represents three of the alleged victims.
The lawsuit says Cash paid for a plane ticket from Florida to New York in 1996 and arranged for a car service to pick up the teen and bring him to his upscale apartment, where he gave him cash and showered him with "attention and affection" and ultimately engaged in numerous sexual acts.
Herman said he is poring over receipts and other documents to see if the car service was paid for by Cash's employers at Sesame Street.
"We're confident in the actions that we took, but because this is now an issue between litigants, we're not going to comment further," said Ellen Lewis, a publicist for Sesame Street.
Herman said the alleged victims didn't come forward sooner because they were afraid, but have found courage as others have spoken up.
He said they are compliant victims who participated in the sexual acts, but didn't consent because it's illegal for a minor to do so.
"Because they participated in the sex they feel like they're doing something wrong ... they're ashamed, they're embarrassed, not something they really want to talk about," he said.
Herman said he's been contacted by several other possible victims and is vetting their cases.
With the first claim recanted and then a slew of new claims after it got in the news, I'm not going condemn this guy until solid evidence is made public. Smells like a few people looking for a payday. It has happened before. We simply don't know enough yet.
Elmo's been busy.
This probably isn't the end of it. Sounds like Mr Clash was quite the low life deviant. A disgusting pedophile preying on young boys.Â
.....so who's back end will he have his hand up next? How many more??Â
Such a depraved person he is.....
"These are all vulnerable boys. None of them had father figures in their lives and they were looking for that father figure," said Herman, who represents three of the alleged victims.
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I call BS. Seems most of the contacts were made through gay phone chat lines or gay meet-up forums. Tell me again why these underage males were there? Sorry, but I smell 'scam'
 @theToucan "Tell me again why these underage males were there?"
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How about to meet other underage guys? What was this elmo tickler doing in chat with underage boys? He's supposed to be an adult and stay away from coercing little kids.
@komoispropaganda It seems to me that it would be kind of hard to meet other underage guys on an adult chat line that specifically prohibits underage males (unless said underage males are trolling for adult males)
At this point I am still of the opinion that this guy is innocent (until some time that there is some actual proof) and this is all a money grab by this attorney and the accusers. Notice how the attorney is now trying to drag Sesame Street into this. Add that to the fact that no one seems interested in criminal charges, only money.
@komoispropaganda Did I, anywhere in my post, say that I think that if the underage kid was trolling adult chat lines he was a free target? No. But I think you know that and are just being dense. I was just trying to point out that there are other possibilites here. 1. It never happened and this is just some guy that is looking for a payday based on the previous recanted allegation and a scummy lawyer who is only to happy to assist for his cut of the pie. 2. It did happen but Cash had no idea the kid was underage because the everybody on the chat line was supposed to be an adult ( I also don't know too many 16 year olds whos parents will let them take flights to from Florida to New York to stay with a strange man). 3. It did happen as described. If this is the case, then this guy does not deserve a big payday, but Cash does belong in jail. I unlike most people on these boards, will wait for actual proof before burning Cash at the stake.
 @theToucan If this uh...... man..... is guilty of these accusations he belongs behind bars. Celebrity or not, he was the one trolling. I'm quite sure the "adult" site had a real secure way of verifying age, like 'click here if you're older than 18'.
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If these boys were girls the entire country would be demanding his balls in a basket. Jerry Sandusky was innocent too eh? The kids that accused Sandusky were all just money grabbers I bet too, eh?
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Pedophiles deserve death, period. Without a predator, there is no prey.
 @komoispropaganda  @Surveyor1 Well, if you poke the bear don't be surprised if it strikes back. Make stupid choices, expect stupid results.
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Is it right that KC's life is now devastated because he is accused of sex with minors that were participating on an ADULT ONLY forum? Can you or anyone really tell the difference between a 17yo and a 19yo 100% of the time? What expectations are the people using social meeting sites supposed to have when it should be adults in the first place?
 @Surveyor1 "(unless said underage males are trolling for adult males"
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So if this underage kid was 'trolling' then he is a free target for pedophiles? Is that what you think?