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Photo credit: Simon Beckford, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Grammy-winning gospel singer and pastor Donnie McClurkin is facing a civil lawsuit accusing him of sexually abusing a former assistant over a period spanning more than a decade, EEW Magazine Online reported.
The lawsuit was filed in January in New York County Supreme Court by Giuseppe Corletto, who alleges McClurkin abused him after Corletto initially sought spiritual guidance from the pastor in 2003. McClurkin has denied the allegations, calling them “categorically false” through his attorney.
Lawsuit Alleges Abuse Began After Spiritual Mentoring Relationship
According to the complaint, Corletto was 21 when he attended an event at McClurkin’s Long Island church after reading the singer’s autobiography.
Corletto says he was struggling to reconcile his sexuality with his Christian faith and believed McClurkin could provide spiritual guidance.
The lawsuit alleges that the relationship developed into a mentor-mentee arrangement and later an employment relationship, with Corletto working as McClurkin’s personal assistant. Corletto claims McClurkin used his spiritual and professional authority to exploit that relationship.
Complaint Alleges Years of Sexual Abuse
The civil complaint alleges that McClurkin sexually assaulted Corletto on multiple occasions between approximately 2004 and 2015, including during work-related travel and at other locations.
The lawsuit also includes an alleged 2013 email in which McClurkin purportedly apologized for inappropriate sexual conduct. McClurkin disputes the allegations and says the complaint mischaracterizes their interactions.
The allegations have not been proven in court.
Lawsuit Was Filed Under NYC Gender-Motivated Violence Law
Corletto brought the case under New York City’s Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law, or GMVPL.
The law allows certain survivors of gender-motivated violence to bring civil claims, and a 2022 amendment created a temporary revival period for some previously time-barred lawsuits.
The complaint expressly states that Corletto is pursuing his claims under the city law.
That revival period has since closed, although some cases filed afterward may involve questions about tolling agreements or whether deadlines were extended in particular circumstances.
Case Adds to Growing NYC GMVA Litigation
The McClurkin lawsuit is one of a growing number of cases testing New York City’s gender-motivated violence law and its revival provisions.
Other lawsuits have raised questions about filing deadlines, institutional liability and the relationship between the city law and earlier New York state revival statutes.
Those issues continue to be litigated in state and federal courts and could shape how older sexual abuse claims proceed in New York City.
Learn More About NYC Gender-Motivated Violence Lawsuits
New York City’s Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law has allowed some survivors to pursue civil claims that might otherwise have been barred by older filing deadlines.
Learn more about the law, revival period and ongoing court challenges in our NYC Gender-Motivated Violence Act Lawsuit Guide.
