Serious Allegations Surface Against A Gospel Icon
A new lawsuit is putting Grammy-winning gospel singer and pastor Donnie McClurkin under intense scrutiny. A man named Giuseppe Corletto has come forward with allegations that McClurkin sexually abused him over the course of several years. At the center of the lawsuit is an alleged apology email in which McClurkin reportedly referred to himself as a “dirty ‘old man.’”
This case is heavy. It cuts deep. And it has stirred strong emotions across faith communities and beyond.
According to the lawsuit, Corletto first sought out McClurkin in 2003 while struggling to reconcile his sexuality with his Christian faith. At just 21 years old, he attended McClurkin’s Long Island church after reading the singer’s autobiography, which detailed how McClurkin believed God helped him overcome what he described as the “curse” of homosexuality.
A Shared Story That Built Trust
The lawsuit says Corletto felt an immediate connection to McClurkin after attending a church event where the pastor spoke openly about being raped as a child. That moment stayed with him.
“That resonated with me because that’s similar to my story,” Corletto recalled in an interview with NBC News.
After the event, Corletto was introduced to McClurkin. According to Corletto, McClurkin took a special interest in him almost immediately. What started as guidance felt safe at first.
“At first, it was all very innocent and what I thought [was] mentoring,” Corletto said.
But looking back now, Corletto believes that mentorship was actually grooming. The lawsuit claims McClurkin used his position as a spiritual leader and trusted figure to slowly blur boundaries. This part matters. Because when faith, authority, and vulnerability mix, power dynamics can quietly take control.
‘Pray The Gay Away’ Sessions And Alleged Abuse
According to the lawsuit, McClurkin allegedly began molesting Corletto during what were described as “pray the gay away” sessions. Over time, the abuse allegedly intensified and continued for several years.
During this period, Corletto worked closely with McClurkin as his assistant. He traveled with him. He depended on him. And that dependency, the lawsuit claims, made it nearly impossible for him to speak out.
“McClurkin was both his mentor and employer, making it difficult for him to speak out about the abuse he had suffered,” the lawsuit states.
Corletto reportedly felt trapped. On one hand, McClurkin was a spiritual guide who preached healing and redemption. On the other, he was his boss, controlling access to work, income, and influence.
These allegations echo broader conversations about abuse of power within religious spaces. Experts have long warned that silence often grows where authority goes unquestioned.
The Alleged Apology Email That Changed Everything
One of the most striking claims in the lawsuit centers on an alleged sexual assault at a hotel in Niagara Falls in 2013. According to court filings, McClurkin later sent Corletto an email expressing remorse.
“I am the actual epitome of a desperate dirty ‘old man’,” he allegedly wrote.
In the same email, McClurkin reportedly expressed regret over “pawning and groping a young man who is just looking for a friendship and close plutonic relationship.”
“I feel so foul…so stupid,” McClurkin lamented in the email, as stated in Corletto’s lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court.
That email is now a key piece of evidence.
Corletto’s legal team argues it supports his claims and shows acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
McClurkin’s attorney, Greg Lisi, strongly disputes that interpretation.
“At no time did Pastor McClurkin engage in any form of sexual abuse, assault, or sexual coercion of Mr. Corletto,” Lisi said. “The claims set forth in the lawsuit grossly mischaracterize their interactions, which occurred over a decade, and some accusations over 2 decades, ago. All these allegations are contradicted by the real facts.”
Fame, Faith, And A Complicated Past
McClurkin’s rise in gospel music is undeniable. He has won three Grammy Awards, sold millions of albums, and gained mainstream recognition after Oprah Winfrey praised his self-titled album in 1996.
But his story has always included pain.
In his 2001 book Eternal Victim–Eternal Victor, McClurkin revealed he was sexually abused by an uncle at age 8. He believed that trauma shaped his later struggles with sexuality.
“A seed had been planted,” he wrote. “A seed that would be my lot to struggle with for many years to come.”
He credited Scripture with helping him overcome inner conflict and wrote, “There are many more things that need to be done to break the curse of homosexuality; but that’s another book.”
Corletto says those words pulled him in. Like McClurkin, he grew up poor in New York. Like McClurkin, he survived childhood sexual abuse. And like McClurkin, he was searching for peace.
The Legal Path Forward And Healing Beyond Court
The lawsuit was filed under New York City’s Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law. The law temporarily extended the statute of limitations for survivors of sexual assault to seek justice. Although the filing window officially closed in March 2025, some plaintiffs entered tolling agreements that allow cases to proceed.
Corletto’s attorney, Thomas Giuffra, says the goal is accountability and healing.
He hopes the lawsuit brings compensation, closure, and “some measure of justice for what happened to him.” Giuffra added that McClurkin “took advantage” of someone struggling with acceptance of his sexuality while holding deep religious convictions. “It’s really very sad.”
Today, Corletto says he is finally free.
“Ever since I embraced my sexuality and stopped trying to change it, the weight of suicide has left me,” he told NBC News.