A prominent American gospel singer and pastor, who once performed for Barack Obama and publicly claimed to have been cured of homosexuality by God, is facing serious allegations of sexual abuse spanning more than ten years.
Civil Lawsuit Alleges Years of Abuse
Donnie McClurkin, the 66-year-old three-time Grammy winner, has been accused of sexual assault and sexual battery in a civil lawsuit filed at the New York Supreme Court in Manhattan on 2 January. The plaintiff, Giuseppe Corletto, alleges that McClurkin repeatedly groped and raped him over a period of many years, with the abuse reportedly escalating to a rape allegation in 2013 at a hotel in Niagara Falls.
Corletto, a former assistant to the pastor, states he was 21 years old and struggling with his sexuality when he first met McClurkin at his church on Long Island in August 2003. He was drawn to McClurkin's testimony, detailed in an autobiography, of being delivered from the "curse" of being gay. According to the suit, McClurkin promised to "help deliver him from homosexuality."
From Mentorship to Alleged Manipulation and Assault
Corletto told NBC News that what began as innocent mentoring soon turned abusive. After becoming McClurkin's assistant in 2004, he claims the gospel singer began groping his genitals during sessions intended to "pray the gay away" within about two years. The lawsuit asserts the abuse intensified to rape in 2007 during a work trip to California.
The legal filing contains further disturbing details, alleging McClurkin would "secretly grope" Corletto at church before delivering sermons. Corletto claims he was manipulated using biblical references and guilted into staying in his role despite repeated attempts to resign. "I thought I was to blame. I was brainwashed to think that my deliverance was wrapped up in him," Corletto said.
A pivotal element of the case is a 2013 email from McClurkin, which Corletto says he only discovered last year. In it, McClurkin allegedly wrote, "I am the actual epitome of a desperate dirty 'old man', pawning and groping a young man..." and offered an apology for his "wrong behavior." Corletto's lawyer, Thomas Giuffra, stated his client was "confused and had problems accepting his sexuality coupled with his religious beliefs" and that McClurkin "took advantage" of him.
High-Profile Connections and Contradictory Stances
These allegations stand in stark contrast to McClurkin's public persona as a pastor who claimed divine healing from homosexuality. His inclusion at a 2007 gospel event for then-presidential candidate Barack Obama drew significant criticism from gay rights groups. Obama later publicly disagreed with McClurkin's views, stating he would "continue to fight" for LGBT rights. McClurkin has also performed at both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions in past years.
In a statement on Wednesday, McClurkin vehemently denied all accusations, calling them "contrived and untrue." He emphasised that "sexual violence... is not to be used frivolously" and that true survivors deserve support. McClurkin stated he had not been formally served with the complaint but was cooperating with the process and would "vigorously defend" himself. He also asked his followers to pray for his accuser.
Corletto, explaining the timing of the lawsuit, said on social media that "the truth has its own timing," citing the recent discovery of the 2013 communications as a catalyst. He is seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages and legal fees. The Daily Mail has contacted legal representatives for both parties for further comment.
