LOS ANGELES -- The puppeteer behind the "Sesame Street" character Elmo has taken a leave of absence from the children's television show to contest allegations, disputed by the performer and producers, that he had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old boy, the show's production company said on Monday.
New York-based Sesame Workshop said in a statement that its own inquiry, including interviews with the now 23-year-old accuser, concluded that claims of underage sexual conduct against puppeteer Kevin Clash were unsubstantiated.
Clash, 52, the voice of Elmo for nearly three decades, acknowledged a past relationship with his accuser but said in a statement that the allegations against him were "false and defamatory."
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