Donnie McClurkin, the Grammy-winning gospel singer and pastor identified for songs like “We Fall Down” and “I Call You Faithful,” is dealing with severe allegations of sexual assault in a brand new lawsuit obtained by NBC News. The lawsuit, filed by Giuseppe Corletto, accuses McClurkin of sexual assault over the course of greater than a decade whereas serving as each his non secular mentor and employer. It additionally accommodates an alleged electronic mail through which McClurkin apologized for his actions, calling himself a “soiled outdated man.”
Corletto alleges the abuse started after he sought out assist from Donnie McClurkin in 2003, when he was 21 years outdated. At the time, he was struggling to reconcile together with his personal sexuality and religion. According to the lawsuit, Corletto went to McClurkin’s Long Island church, Perfecting Faith Church, after studying the pastor’s autobiographical ebook, which described how God helped him overcome what McClurkin known as the “curse” of homosexuality.
At a church occasion, McClurkin spoke brazenly about his personal expertise with sexual assault, which Corletto says instantly resonated with him as a result of it was “comparable” to his personal life story. Corletto was later launched to McClurkin privately, and the pastor took a direct curiosity in him. But what Corletto initially believed was a supportive mentorship, he now says he believes was grooming.
Giuseppe Corletto alleges McClurkin abused him at his “pray the homosexual means” non secular periods
The lawsuit alleges that McClurkin started molesting him throughout his “pray the homosexual away” non secular periods and that the abuse escalated over a number of years. Corletto later grew to become McClurkin’s assistant in 2004 and repeatedly traveled with him for work, based on the submitting.
Corletto says that roughly two years into working for McClurkin, the alleged abuse escalated from groping throughout prayer periods to rape whereas touring, based on the lawsuit. One alleged incident occurred throughout a 2007 journey to California, throughout which McClurkin additionally introduced his then-girlfriend. The lawsuit claims McClurkin nonetheless compelled himself on Corletto in a resort room.
When confronted, Donnie McClurkin allegedly informed Corletto that he was on medicine and didn’t bear in mind what occurred.
“McClurkin additional manipulated [Corletto], blaming him for the incident and convincing him that he was the only culpable occasion,” the lawsuit states. “As a end result, plaintiff skilled intense disgrace and confusion.”
The lawsuit additionally states that Corletto “struggled to course of these incidents of sexual abuse, as [McClurkin] was each his mentor and employer, making it tough for him to talk out concerning the abuse he had suffered.”
Donnie McClurkin allegedly apologized for his actions by way of an electronic mail, the lawsuit claims.
After one other alleged sexual assault at a Niagara Falls resort in 2013, Corletto claims McClurkin later despatched him an electronic mail apologizing.
“I’m the precise epitome of a determined soiled ‘outdated man’,” McClurkin allegedly wrote, based on the lawsuit, “pawning and groping a younger man who’s simply searching for a friendship and shut platonic relationship with somebody he needs/ appears to for assist, steering, and spirituality.”
He added, “I really feel so foul…so silly.
Corletto says he didn’t come throughout the alleged electronic mail once more till 2025, an expertise he described as validating after years of disgrace and self-doubt.
“I didn’t make this up. I wasn’t loopy,” Corletto mentioned. “I felt vindicated in some methods. … He’s actually admitting to his guilt.”
The gospel singer has denied all allegations introduced forth in Giuseppe Corletto’s lawsuit
McClurkin, now 66, has denied all allegations via his legal professional.
“At no time did Pastor McClurkin interact in any type of sexual abuse, assault, or sexual coercion of Mr. Corletto,” legal professional Greg Lisi mentioned in a statement. “The claims set forth within the lawsuit grossly mischaracterize their interactions, which occurred over a decade, and a few accusations over 2 a long time in the past. All these allegations are contradicted by the true details.”
In his 2001 ebook Eternal Victim–Eternal Victor, McClurkin wrote that he was sexually abused by an uncle at age eight and linked that trauma to his sexuality.
“A seed had been planted,” he wrote, based on NBC News. “A seed that may be my lot to wrestle with for a few years to return.” He added, “There are many extra issues that have to be carried out to interrupt the curse of homosexuality, however that’s one other ebook.”
McClurkin rose to prominence as one in every of gospel music’s greatest stars, winning three Grammy Awards, together with one for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album for his hit album …Again. “I Call You Faithful” grew to become his first No. 1 single in 2005, exploding with a seven-week run atop Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart. Oprah Winfrey famously named his self-titled album one in every of her favourite issues in 1996.
Giuseppe Corletto’s lawsuit was filed underneath New York City’s Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law, which prolonged the statute of limitations for sexual abuse claims in 2022. Although the usual submitting window closed in March 2025, some instances have proceeded via tolling agreements that stretch the deadline.
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