Manny Ita
NEW YORK — Gospel star and pastor Donnie McClurkin has been sued for the alleged sexual abuse and grooming of a former assistant, Giuseppe Corletto. The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan, claims the abuse occurred over several years starting in 2003.
According to the filing, Corletto sought spiritual guidance from McClurkin to reconcile his faith and sexuality. Corletto alleges that McClurkin groomed him and began molesting him during “pray the gay away” sessions. The abuse reportedly escalated to rape during work trips, including a 2007 visit to California.
Key allegations in the lawsuit include:
- Grooming: Corletto stated, “At first it was all very innocent and what I thought [was] mentoring,” but he now believes he was targeted from the start.
- Manipulation: Corletto alleges McClurkin used “biblical manipulation” to keep him from quitting, saying, “I was brainwashed to think that my deliverance was wrapped up in him.”
- Written Admission: The suit cites a 2013 email in which McClurkin allegedly called himself a “dirty ‘old man’” and apologized for “trying to force you into something that you were consistently saying no to.”
McClurkin’s attorney, Greg Lisi, denied the claims, stating, “At no time did Pastor McClurkin engage in any form of sexual abuse… The claims set forth in the lawsuit grossly mischaracterize their interactions.”
Corletto, now married and distanced from the church, said the lawsuit follows years of suicidal ideation and trauma. “Ever since I did embrace my sexuality and stopped trying to change it, the weight of suicide has left me,” he said.
