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Donnie McClurkin Sued in New York Over Alleged Yearslong Sexual Abuse, Denies Allegations

The filing by a former congregant proceeds under the city’s gender‑motivated violence law, citing a 2013 email he calls an apology.

Overview

  • Giuseppe Corletto filed a civil complaint on Jan. 2 in New York County Supreme Court accusing the Grammy‑winning pastor of grooming, sexual assault and rape from the mid‑2000s to 2015.
  • The suit describes a mentor‑mentee dynamic tied to “pray the gay away” sessions and alleges coercion that linked Corletto’s “deliverance” and “purpose” to continued proximity to McClurkin.
  • Specific incidents detailed in the filing include an alleged forced sex episode in California in 2007, assaults in Florida and Boston, and a 2013 encounter at a Niagara Falls hotel.
  • The complaint includes a screenshot of a 2013 email in which McClurkin allegedly apologized and referred to himself as a “desperate dirty ‘old man,’” saying he “forced” himself and groped Corletto.
  • Attorney Greg Lisi called the allegations categorically false as McClurkin publicly denied the claims and vowed to defend the case, which seeks a jury trial and unspecified compensatory damages and fees; no criminal charges have been reported.