Kevin Clash, Elmo puppeteer, is no longer accused of having a sexual relationship with a minor.
And the unnamed accuser has suddenly recalled that the sexual relationship he had with Clash happened when he was an adult, not when he was 16.
Gee, what caused his memory to clear up so dramatically?
From TMZ:
The man who claims he had a sexual relationship with Kevin Clash -- the voice of Elmo -- is RECANTING his story ... claiming he WAS an adult during their relationship after all.From Reuters:
The accuser's lawyer just released a statement saying, "[The accuser] wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship. [The accuser] will have no further comment."
It's unclear why the accuser suddenly changed his story ... but sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... the accuser's attorney had been meeting with Clash's attorney as recent as an hour ago, discussing a financial settlement and 6-figures were on the table.
The unnamed man, now 23, had claimed that Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash had a sexual relationship with him when the accuser was 16 years old, potentially engulfing one of the biggest childhood brands in an underage sex scandal.Andreozzi and Associates "represented some of the people victimized by Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky."
"He wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship," the law firm Andreozzi and Associates, who represent the man, told U.S. media outlets in a statement.
Clash, 52, who had denied the allegations, said in a statement obtained by Reuters on Tuesday: "I am relieved that this painful allegation has been put to rest. I will not discuss it further."
..."We are pleased that this matter has been brought to a close, and we are happy that Kevin can move on from this unfortunate episode," Sesame Workshop said in a statement on Tuesday.
The firm seeks "maximum recovery for victims of sexual abuse." On its website, it promises "Multimillion dollar results - Big firm experience - Small firm attention."
According to TMZ, "6-figures were on the table." Not exactly multimillion dollar results.
Whatever, the settlement was enough for the accuser to agree to have his lawyers issue a statement recanting his previous claim of underage sex with Clash.
It's amazing what money can buy.
So, was the Elmo puppeteer a victim or the victimizer in the case?
Who knows? The scandal is over. Those involved will be quiet, at least for now.
Sometimes accusers return. Disgraced Milwaukee Archbishop Rembert Weakland paid his lover, Paul Marcoux, $450,000 in hush money to stay silent about their affair.
Marcoux resurfaced 20 years later and Weakland was exposed. Catholics in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee learned how their money was spent. It was a mess.
The difference there was Marcoux didn't go public at the time of the original shakedown, the way Clash's accuser did.
Clash already has been publicly smeared. I think the accuser got all he's going to get.
Of course, he could write a tell-all book.
