Pakistan - U.S. Halts Financing for Pakistani "Sesame Street" - NYTimes.com The United States has cut off financing for a $20 million project to develop a Pakistani version of "Sesame Street" in response to accusations of corruption within the local puppet theater working on the initiative, American officials said Tuesday. The local organization, the Rafi Peer Theater Workshop in Lahore, developed the show jointly with Sesame Workshop, the creator of the American series. The show, which includes Elmo and Pakistani characters, was first broadcast late last year and was to run for at least three seasons. The United States hoped the program would improve education and increase tolerance in Pakistan. The State Department said it cut off money and began an investigation after receiving credible accusations of fraud and abuse. Rafi Peer denied the allegations. The United States had already spent $6.7 million on the program.