Lucas Jackson / Reuters file

Kevin Clash with the puppet Elmo in 2010.

Kevin Clash, the man who voiced the popular puppet Elmo on "Sesame Street," is facing accusations of underage sex abuse by a fifth man. On Tuesday, a new federal lawsuit was filed against the puppeteer in New York. The latest suit accuses Clash of sexually abusing Kevin Kiadii, 25, who was 16 at the time of the alleged incident.

Kiadii claims in his lawsuit that the two met via a gay phone chat line, and that it was Clash who initiated the contact. According to the suit, the puppeteer invited the young man over to his Manhattan apartment and sent a luxury car to Kiadii's home to pick him up. Kiadii also claims that Clash gave him alcohol and "groomed him with attention and affection" before engaging in sexual contact. The suit alleges that Kiadii was a "compliant victim" who "was not immediately aware of his injuries."

Kiadii is suing for actual and compensatory damages, costs of the lawsuit and attorneys' fees. The lawsuit was filed by attorney Jeff Herman, who also represents four other men who have filed sexual abuse suits against Clash.

"The allegations in this lawsuit follow the same pattern we've seen before," Herman said in a statement. "Each of these victims alleges that Kevin Clash was a father figure who groomed them with attention before engaging them in sexual contact. By coming forward and standing up for his 16-year-old self, Kevin Kiadii has taken the first step in his healing process."

Clash's attorney, Michael Berger, said in a statement Tuesday that the latest lawsuit is without merit and is barred by the statute of limitations.

"This case has been brought by the same lawyer, Jeff Herman, who brought three other similar cases in federal courts in New York, and we have moved to dismiss all three of those cases," Berger added. "Mr. Clash continues to deny any wrongdoing, and we intend to defend this case forcefully."

Clash resigned from "Sesame Street" in November last year.

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Todd Oren / Getty Images file

Kevin Clash poses with Elmo.

Updated, 2:40 p.m. ET: Kevin Clash, the ex-Elmo puppeteer who previously faced allegations of sex abuse, is once again at the center of a lawsuit. The man behind the iconic "Sesame Street" character is named in a sexual abuse lawsuit filed by Sheldon Stephens, who was the first individual to accuse Clash of abuse in 2012.

Stephens claims in a new complaint filed Monday in Middle District Court of Pennsylvania that he and Clash met in 2004 through a social networking event for models and actors. According to a press release sent by Stephens' attorney Jeff Herman, the complaint includes accusations that Clash and Stephens began having sexual intercourse when Stephens was 16. It details an occasion when Stephens was still 16 and Clash hosted a "crystal meth sex party" at his apartment. The complaint also accuses Clash of doing meth at that party, giving the drugs to Stephens, and engaging in sexual contact with the then-teenager.

Michael Berger, an attorney for Clash, issued a statement Tuesday calling the lawsuit "meritless" and "barred by the statute of limitations." In the statement, Berger writes that Stephens has "already admitted in writing that he had 'an adult consensual relationship' with Mr. Clash. Mr Clash continues to deny any wrongdoing, and we intend to defend this case forcefully."

Clash resigned from Sesame Workshop in 2012.

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• Kevin Clash's accuser recants underage accusation
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Lucas Jackson / Reuters file

Kevin Clash with Elmo in New York in 2010.

Updated 4:15 p.m. ET: NEW YORK -- The puppeteer formerly behind the "Sesame Street" character Elmo faces a new accusation of having sex with an underage boy, a week after a similar allegation prompted him to resign from the iconic public television children's program.

In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, a man identified only as John alleges Kevin Clash engaged in oral sex and other sex acts with him when John was 16 years old. The suit seeks at least $75,000 in damages.

The suit alleges the incident occurred in either 2000 or 2001 when John, who is from Florida, visited New York for modeling opportunities. John came to know Clash, then 40, through a telephone chat line for gays on which Clash claimed to be a 30-year-old named Craig, according to the suit.

John returned to New York when he turned 18, and he and Clash renewed the relationship, the lawsuit said.

"Mr. Clash believes the lawsuit has no merit," Clash's publicist, Risa B. Heller, said in an emailed statement.

Jeff Herman, an attorney for the accuser, read a statement on behalf of his client during a news conference in New York on Tuesday, saying, "I’m only coming forward as support for the two victims that were accused as liars. I too at first thought it was a money thing, and wanted to stay silent. But Cecil (Singleton’s) story reflects me, and deserves validation. Just say sorry so we can all move on with our lives. I pray that Kevin seeks help, because under these sexual demons is an incredible man.

Herman also read from a chapter in a manuscript penned by his client and being made public for the first time. The chapter, titled “Tickled my heart,” describes the early days of the relationship the accuser alleges to have had with Clash. "When we first met I was 16 and there was no intercourse; however lots of heavy kissing ...” he wrote.

Herman said that Clash and his client also had an "adult" relationship after the client turned 18. That relationship lasted "about a year," according to Herman.

This is the latest charge levied against Clash, now 52, who resigned on Nov. 20 from Sesame Workshop, the company behind "Sesame Street," after nearly 30 years on the show.

Clash's resignation came the same day Cecil Singleton filed a claim seeking more than $5 million in damages from Clash. Singleton claims he met the then-32-year-old puppeteer in 1993 in a gay chat room when he was 15.

The claim added that on numerous occasions over a period of years Clash engaged in sexual activity with Singleton.

The newest allegation comes about two weeks after an initial accuser, 24-year-old Sheldon Stephens, recanted his claims that Clash had sex with him when he was 16 years old. Stephens later said the relationship was consensual.

Clash had denied the allegations and acknowledged a past relationship with Stephens. He added the pair were both consenting adults at the time.

Sesame Workshop said in a statement Tuesday that it learned of the first accusation in June of this year. "Based on our own internal investigation, the use of outside investigative firms, and Kevin’s vehement denial, we found no evidence of an underage relationship. We did not know about subsequent accusations until we read about them in the press. We trust the judicial process to reach the ultimate conclusions about the truth or falsity of these allegations."

The Elmo character debuted on "Sesame Street" in 1979, 10 years after the show premiered and introduced the now-iconic characters Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, Oscar the Grouch and Cookie Monster, among others, to American children.

While Clash was the third performer to animate the child-like shaggy red monster, Sesame Workshop credits him with turning Elmo into the international sensation he became.

TODAY staff contributed to this report from Reuters.

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Updated 1 p.m. ET: Kevin Clash, the puppeteer behind "Sesame Street's" Elmo since 1985, has taken a leave of absence from the show following allegations that he had a relationship with a 16-year-old, according to a statement from Sesame Workshop.

Workshop representatives said that in June a 23-year-old man reached out to Sesame Workshop alleging that he had a relationship with Clash beginning seven years earlier. 

"We took the allegation very seriously and took immediate action," said the reps in the statement. "We met with the accuser twice and had repeated communications with him. We met with Kevin, who denied the accusation. We also conducted a thorough investigation and found the allegation of underage conduct to be unsubstantiated. Although this was a personal relationship unrelated to the workplace, our investigation did reveal that Kevin exercised poor judgment and violated company policy regarding Internet usage and he was disciplined."

Clash is then said to have been granted leave from the show so he can take action "to protect his reputation."

"I am a gay man. I have never been ashamed of this or tried to hide it, but felt it was a personal and private matter," Clash said in a statement to NBC News issued through a representative. "I had a relationship with the accuser. It was between two consenting adults and I am deeply saddened that he is trying to characterize it as something other than what it was. I am taking a break from Sesame Workshop to deal with this false and defamatory allegation."

Clash has performed with Sesame Street characters since 1979, when he played Cookie Monster in the "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade." He became an official puppeteer on "Sesame Street" in 1984 and created character voices for puppets such as Baby Natasha and Dr. Nobel Price, but the marriage of Elmo and Clash's stylized high-pitched toddler voice caught fire once he began voicing the puppet in 1985. (Elmo had been a recurring puppet on the show since the early 1970s, but not a major player until Clash took over.)

Clash was the subject of a 2011 documentary, "Being Elmo," which documented his lifelong love of puppeteering.

"Elmo is bigger than any one person and will continue to be an integral part of 'Sesame Street' to engage, educate and inspire children around the world," said Sesame Workshop.

There was no date given for Clash's return.

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