A Grammy-winning gospel singer and pastor allegedly sexually abused his personal assistant — then sent him an apology email declaring himself the epitome of a “dirty old man,” according to a lawsuit.
Giuseppe Corletto alleged in the civil complaint obtained by Billboardthat Donnie McClurkin, now 66, repeatedly assaulted and raped him between 2007 and 2015 after he began attending the singer’s Long Island church while struggling with his sexuality.
Corletto joined McClurkin’s Perfecting Faith Church in Freeport in 2003 at the age of 21, seeking guidance from the pastor who had written in a book two years earlier that he had overcome his sexuality through God, according to the complaint filed in New York on Friday.
McClurkin, who was 44-years-old at the time, allegedly helped the young congregant “pray the gay away” and took him under his wing as his personal assistant, the civil lawsuit claimed, according to the outlet.
The pair traveled together on business trips, where McClurkin began allegedly sexually assaulting Corletto, court papers stated.
Corletto claimed that in 2007 the three-time Grammy award winner forced him to have sex in a California hotel room.
A similar pattern of alleged assault continued during several trips to Atlantic City, New Jersey, Manhattan, and his home on Long Island, documents say.
“Throughout this period, plaintiff attempted to quit on multiple occasions,” the complaint reportedly said.
“Defendant, however, denied plaintiff’s requests, further coercing him to stay by telling plaintiff that his ‘deliverance’ and ‘purpose’ were tied to defendant.”
Corletto quit his job with McClurkin in 2008, though they remained in each other’s professional lives.
The “Speak to My Heart” singer, however, allegedly continued sexually abusing Corletto, raping him in a Florida hotel room in 2012, and in Boston and Niagara Falls in 2013, the lawsuit said.
In 2013, McClurkin allegedly sent an email pictured in the suit, attempting to apologize to Corletto for being a “dirty ‘old man” and “groping” him.
“I am the actual epitome of a desperate dirty ‘old man’…groping a young man who is just looking for a friendship and close plutonic [sic] relationship with someone he looks to for help, guidance, and spirituality,” the pictured email said.
“You don’t have that desire for me, and I shouldn’t have it for you. I forced myself on you,” McClurkin allegedly wrote.
During the last alleged incident in 2015, the pastor allegedly engaged in “further sexual conduct.”
“As a result of the foregoing, plaintiff has sustained injury, emotional pain and suffering, physical pain, emotional distress, celibacy, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life,” the lawsuit said.
Corletto is now seeking unspecified monetary damages from McClurkin.
In a statement to Billboard, McClurkin’s attorney, Greg Lisi, said Corletto’s claims are “categorically false” and “contradicted by the real facts.”
“At no time did Pastor McClurkin engage in any form of sexual abuse, assault or sexual coercion of Mr. Corletto,” Lisi wrote.
“The claims set forth in the lawsuit grossly mischaracterize their interactions, which occurred over a decade, and some accusations over two decades ago,” he continued.
Lisi did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
McClurkin has sold roughly 13 million albums throughout his career and has won over a dozen awards, including 10 Stellar Awards and two BET Awards.
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