A prominent Grammy-winning gospel singer and pastor in the United States, known for advocating to "pray the gay away," is now facing serious legal action. Donnie McClurkin has been accused of sexually abusing a young man over a period of several years, according to a lawsuit filed in New York.
Allegations of Grooming and Abuse
The plaintiff, Giuseppe Corletto, first met McClurkin in 2003 when he was 21 years old. Corletto, struggling to reconcile his sexuality with his Christian faith, sought out McClurkin after reading the pastor's autobiographical book. In it, McClurkin described how he believed God helped him overcome the "curse" of homosexuality.
Corletto attended McClurkin's church in Long Island, New York. He told NBC News that at a church event, McClurkin spoke about being raped as a child, a story that resonated with Corletto due to his own similar experiences. After the event, Corletto was introduced to McClurkin, who took an immediate interest in him.
"At first, it was all very innocent and what I thought was mentoring," Corletto stated in an interview. However, he now believes he was being groomed from the very beginning. The alleged molestation started during spiritual sessions McClurkin held to "pray the gay away" and escalated over the subsequent years.
Escalation and Alleged Biblical Manipulation
During this time, Giuseppe Corletto also worked as Donnie McClurkin's personal assistant and traveled regularly with him. The lawsuit claims the abuse escalated to rape during work trips. Corletto attempted to quit his job multiple times, but alleges that McClurkin used guilt to pressure him into staying.
"He would always compare me to people in the bible like Elisha and Elijah," Corletto said, referring to the prophetic figures known for their mentor-mentee bond. "There was a lot of biblical manipulation." The legal filing states that Corletto found it difficult to speak out because McClurkin was both his spiritual mentor and his employer.
A pivotal piece of evidence cited in the lawsuit is an apology email McClurkin allegedly sent after an incident at a Niagara Falls hotel in 2013. In the email, McClurkin supposedly called himself "the actual epitome of a desperate dirty 'old man'" and admitted to "pawing and groping a young man who is just looking for a friendship." He added, "I feel so foul…so stupid." The lawsuit was filed in the State Supreme Court in Manhattan.
McClurkin's Denial and Background
Through his attorney, Greg Lisi, Donnie McClurkin has vehemently denied all allegations. Lisi stated to NBC News that "at no time did Pastor McClurkin engage in any form of sexual abuse, assault, or sexual coercion of Mr. Corletto."
He called the claims "categorically false" and argued they "grossly mischaracterise their interactions," which occurred over a decade ago. "All these allegations are contradicted by the real facts," Lisi asserted in his statement.
Donnie McClurkin is a celebrated figure in gospel music, having won three Grammy Awards and sold millions of albums. His career received a significant boost when Oprah Winfrey named his 1996 self-titled album as one of her favourite things. However, his personal history is marked by trauma; in his 2002 book "Eternal Victim-Eternal Victor," he revealed he was sexually abused by an uncle at age eight, an experience he believed led to his homosexuality. He publicly claimed that reading Scripture helped him "break the curse of homosexuality."
The lawsuit brings a stark contradiction to light, accusing a man who built a ministry on overcoming sexual trauma of perpetrating similar abuse on a vulnerable follower seeking guidance.
