It’s rare that there is any sort of celebrity sex scandal that doesn’t result in a slew of additional accusers coming forward. Such is the case with 52-year-old Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash, who is now dealing with a third man alleging Clash had sexual relations with him when he was underage. The new accuser, a now-29-year-old male model who is still nameless, filed in Manhattan Federal Court today and claims Clash gave him alcohol and engaged in various sexual acts with him when he was 16 years old. In an excerpt from his book (?!?) the “victim” refers to Clash as “Mr. Tickler” and says they played a game he called “father and son.”

The moral fabric of our great nation began to unravel earlier this week when Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash was publicly accused of having a sexual relationship with an underaged boy, resulting in Clash taking a leave of absence from Sesame Street. The previously unidentified accuser, 24-year-old aspiring model Sheldon Stephens, has since recanted his accusations, and details are beginning to emerge about his questionable past, including a 2009 arrest after allegedly stealing $250,000 in jewelry from a music executive he was interning for!

Whew! This situation is still embarrassing for Elmo’s puppeteer Kevin Clash, but the young man he’s had a relationship with has now recanted the accusation that the relationship happened before he was a consenting adult.

Kevin Clash, the puppeteer who cheers up the world with his performance of Elmo, has allegedly tarnished the innocence of Elmo forever. He is currently on leave from Sesame Street after being accused of having a sexual relationship with an underage teenage boy seven years ago.