Sheldon Stevens, the man who accused Kevin Clash, the voice of Elmo, of having sex with him while he was underage, says he was coerced into recanting.
He's meeting with lawyers to "undo the settlement" with the puppeteer, TMZ reports.
Clash and Sheldon Stephens entered into a settlement in which Clash agreed to pay him $125,000, but in return the agreement came with one condition.
Stephens agreed that upon execution of the deal, he would retract his original accusation and state that his sexual relationship with Clash was consensual and adult.
The accuser did retract the allegation at that time ... but now wishes he had not.
Stephens has met with lawyers and told them he was pressured into recanting, however, and insists he he had sex with Kevin Clash when he was underage (16).
Clash has denied this from the start, while acknowledging he is gay and was involved with Stephens, now 23; Clash, 54, says his lover was 18+ at the time.
Stephens says he would gladly forfeit the $125,000 to restore his name, and was literally crying during the final negotiations and insisting he didn't want to sign.
Clash's lawyer had no comment. Stay tuned.
[Photo: WENN.com]