Donnie McClurkin Faces Sexual Abuse Lawsuit From Former Assistant
- Former assistant claims abuse began after joining McClurkin's ministry in 2003
- Alleged abuse included 'pray away the gay' sessions that escalated into sexual contact
- Lawsuit cites email from McClurkin expressing remorse for his 'desperate, dirty' behavior
A former assistant to gospel music icon Donnie McClurkin has filed a lawsuit accusing the pastor and Grammy-winning artist of sexually abusing him over the course of several years, allegations that McClurkin strongly denies.
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The accuser, Giuseppe Corletto, says the alleged abuse began shortly after he became closely involved in McClurkin’s ministry. According to the lawsuit, Corletto first met McClurkin at a church service in 2003 when he was 21 years old and a new member of Perfecting Faith Church in Long Island, New York. About a year later, Corletto says he began working as McClurkin’s personal assistant, a role that involved extensive travel.
Corletto claims that during this period, McClurkin initiated what he described as “pray away the gay” sessions. In the lawsuit, Corletto alleges that both men were struggling with their sexuality and believed they could free themselves from homosexuality through prayer. He says those sessions eventually crossed boundaries and escalated into sexual contact.
According to Corletto, the alleged abuse continued intermittently from 2007 through 2015, taking place in multiple states including New York, New Jersey, and California. He alleges that some encounters were non-consensual and describes one incident in which he says he was raped during a trip, despite McClurkin traveling with a then-girlfriend at the time.
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Although Corletto stopped working as McClurkin’s assistant in 2008, he claims the abuse did not end. The lawsuit alleges that after an incident in 2013 during a trip to Niagara Falls, McClurkin sent Corletto an email expressing remorse. Screenshots of the alleged email exchange are included in the legal filing.
In the message, McClurkin allegedly apologized for his behavior, describing himself as “the actual epitome of a desperate dirty ‘old man’” and admitting that he had tried to push Corletto into situations he had repeatedly resisted. Corletto told NBC News that finding the email years later was a turning point for him.
“I didn’t make this up. I wasn’t crazy,” Corletto said in the interview, explaining that the message made him feel validated. “He’s literally admitting to his guilt.”
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Corletto filed the lawsuit under New York City’s Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law. While a temporary extension of the statute of limitations for sexual assault claims expired last year, the law still allows some cases to proceed under specific conditions.
McClurkin, a major figure in gospel music with multiple Grammy and Stellar Awards, has publicly spoken in the past about what he describes as overcoming homosexuality, which he has linked to sexual abuse he says he experienced as a child. His legal team has categorically denied Corletto’s allegations.
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“At no time did Pastor McClurkin engage in any form of sexual abuse, assault, or coercion,” said McClurkin’s attorney in a statement, calling the claims a gross mischaracterization of events that allegedly occurred many years ago.
The case adds to ongoing conversations within faith communities about power, accountability, and abuse, particularly when allegations surface years after the relationships in question have ended.
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Donnie McClurkin Faces Sexual Abuse Lawsuit From Former Assistant was originally published on rickeysmileymorningshow.com
