Gospel singer and pastor Donnie McClurkin is forcefully denying allegations of rape and sexual assault made by a former church member and employee, calling the claims “contrived and untrue” while asking supporters to pray for both him and his accuser.
“Many of you are aware of the profane allegations of sexual assault/rape and coercion that have been recently lodged against me,” McClurkin, 66, wrote in a statement shared on social media Wednesday. “I want to state clearly and unequivocally that these allegations are contrived and untrue.”
The Grammy-winning singer, known for “We Fall Down,” said he believes he “will be vindicated,” adding, “Sexual violence, in any form, is a real and painful reality for many and not to be used frivolously.”
A lawsuit filed last week in the New York Supreme Court alleges McClurkin repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped Giuseppe Corletto, now 43, beginning in the early 2000s when Corletto was about 21. Corletto says he was a member of McClurkin’s Perfecting Faith Church in Freeport, New York, and later worked as his personal assistant when some of the alleged incidents occurred.
McClurkin disputed Corletto’s account, saying the man is not the “survivor” he claims to be. “True Survivors deserve to be heard, protected, and supported,” McClurkin wrote. “At the same time, the TRUTH matters.”
Corletto has said he came forward after recently rediscovering communications from 2013 that clarified the “full scope” of his experience. McClurkin, who says he has not yet been formally served, stated he is cooperating and will “vigorously defend” himself, adding, “Please pray for the accuser, as well.”