A newly filed lawsuit alleges that the Grammy-winning gospel singer and pastor sexually abused a young man over several years while serving as his spiritual mentor and employer. McClurkin has denied the allegations through his attorney.

By TJ Wallace // EEW Magazine News Desk

Donnie McClurkin is Founder and senior pastor at Perfecting Faith Church (PFC) based in Freeport, New York.

NEW YORK — A Grammy Award-winning gospel singer and pastor is facing a lawsuit that alleges he sexually abused a young man over several years, using his position as a spiritual mentor and employer to exploit a relationship rooted in faith and trust.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in Manhattan state Supreme Court, accuses Donnie McClurkin, 66, of sexually abusing Giuseppe Corletto, who says he sought spiritual guidance from McClurkin in the early 2000s while struggling to reconcile his sexuality with his Christian faith.

McClurkin, a prominent figure in gospel music and a longtime pastor, has denied the allegations through his attorney, who described them as “categorically false.”

Giuseppe Corletto says the alleged abuse left him depressed and suicidal in the years following his relationship with McClurkin. (Credit: NBC)

Allegations outlined in the lawsuit

According to the complaint, Corletto was 21 years old in 2003 when he attended an event at McClurkin’s church on Long Island after reading McClurkin’s autobiography, which described his claim of having overcome homosexuality through faith.

Corletto says he felt an immediate connection after McClurkin spoke publicly about being sexually abused as a child, a trauma Corletto says he also experienced. Following the event, Corletto was introduced to McClurkin and later began meeting with him for what he believed were mentoring and spiritual counseling sessions.

The lawsuit alleges that those sessions, described as efforts to help Corletto overcome same-sex attraction, became abusive. Corletto claims McClurkin began molesting him during prayer sessions and that the abuse escalated over several years while Corletto worked as McClurkin’s assistant and traveled with him.

Donnie McClurkin leads a vibrant congregation in Freeport, NY. (Credit: Perfecting Church)

Corletto says the dynamic made it difficult to speak out, alleging that McClurkin held both spiritual authority and professional power over him.

The lawsuit further alleges that assaults occurred in multiple locations, including hotels during work-related travel and at McClurkin’s church. The lawsuit alleges that during a work-related trip to California in 2007, McClurkin brought his then-girlfriend but later forced himself on Corletto and raped him in a hotel room.

According to the complaint, when Corletto later confronted McClurkin about the incident, McClurkin said he had been taking medication and did not remember what had occurred.

Another alleged assault occurred in 2013 at a hotel in Niagara Falls, according to the complaint.

Disputed email cited as evidence

Following the Niagara Falls incident, the lawsuit says McClurkin sent Corletto an email apologizing for his behavior, declaring himself “the actual epitome of a desperate dirty 'old man,'” admitting to “pawning and groping a young man who is just looking for a friendship.”

Portions of the message are quoted in the filing, including statements in which McClurkin allegedly described himself as having acted wrongly and acknowledged forcing Corletto into unwanted conduct.

Corletto says discovering the email years later affirmed that he had not imagined the abuse.

McClurkin’s attorney, Greg Lisi, said in a statement to NBC News that McClurkin “at no time engaged in any form of sexual abuse, assault, or sexual coercion” and that the allegations mischaracterize interactions that occurred decades ago. The attorney said the claims are contradicted by the facts.

Legal context and broader implications

The lawsuit was filed under New York City’s Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law, which temporarily expanded the statute of limitations for certain sexual abuse claims. While that two-year window closed in March 2025, the law allows for extensions under specific circumstances, including what is known as “tolling agreements,” which extend the statute of limitations.

McClurkin has been one of the most visible figures in contemporary gospel music for decades, winning three Grammy Awards and selling millions of albums. His career gained national attention in the 1990s, including high-profile promotion by Oprah Winfrey, who named his self-titled album as one of her favorite things in 1996.

McClurkin has also been open about his own history of childhood sexual abuse and has publicly described homosexuality as something he believes he overcame through Scripture, a position that has drawn controversy among LGBTQ advocates.

Plaintiff describes long-term impact

Corletto says the alleged abuse left him depressed and suicidal in the years following his relationship with McClurkin. He eventually left the church and later built a new life, marrying and finding stability. “Ever since I did embrace my sexuality and stopped trying to change it, the weight of suicide has left me,” Corletto told NBC News—though he says his relationship with organized religion remains fractured.

“I still listen to praise and worship music,” Corletto told NBC News. “That’s what I consider church.”

Corletto’s attorney, Thomas Giuffra, said the lawsuit seeks accountability and closure for a client who was vulnerable and searching for spiritual guidance at the time.

The case remains in its early stages. No criminal charges have been announced, and the allegations have not been tested in court.

McClurkin continues to deny the claims.

Source: NBC News

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