Grammy-winning gospel singer and pastor Donnie McClurkin has been accused in a new lawsuit of sexually abusing a young man over several years and later sending an apologetic email in which he allegedly called himself a “dirty ‘old man.’”
The plaintiff, Giuseppe Corletto, says he first connected with McClurkin in 2003 while struggling to reconcile his sexuality with his Christian faith. Corletto, then 21, says he attended an event at McClurkin’s Long Island church after reading the singer’s autobiography about overcoming the “curse” of homosexuality.
“At first it was all very innocent and what I thought was mentoring,” Corletto said in an interview with NBC News. He now says he believes he was being groomed.
According to the lawsuit, McClurkin began abusing Corletto during so-called “pray the gay away” sessions, and the conduct escalated as Corletto later worked as McClurkin’s assistant and traveled with him. Corletto says the power imbalance left him confused and silent. “I thought I was to blame,” he said. “I was brainwashed.”
The suit alleges that after a 2013 incident at a Niagara Falls hotel, McClurkin sent an email apologizing for his behavior. “I am the actual epitome of a desperate dirty ‘old man,’” he allegedly wrote, adding, “I feel so foul…so stupid.”
McClurkin’s attorney has denied the allegations, calling them “categorically false.”
Corletto says filing the lawsuit has brought relief. “I didn’t make this up,” he said. “I wasn’t crazy.”