NBC News reports:

Donnie McClurkin, a Grammy-winning gospel singer and pastor, sexually abused a young man over several years and wrote an apology email declaring himself a “dirty ‘old man,’” according to a new lawsuit.

Giuseppe Corletto says in the lawsuit that he was struggling to reconcile his sexuality with his faith when he sought out McClurkin in 2003. The lawsuit says Corletto, then 21, went to McClurkin’s church in Long Island, New York, after reading his autobiographical book, which described how God helped him overcome the “curse” of homosexuality.

McClurkin began to molest Corletto during “pray the gay away” spiritual sessions, the lawsuit says, and the abuse escalated over the next several years. During this period, Corletto worked as McClurkin’s assistant and regularly traveled with him, according to the lawsuit.

USA Today reports:

Corletto claims McClurkin coerced him into “further unwanted sexual acts,” from 2007 to as recently as 2015. Despite Corletto confiding in the church’s staff members about the alleged abuse, “no action was taken,” the lawsuit states.

According to Corletto, McClurkin would “coerce” him “into sexual activity” in hotel rooms, and years after Corletto resigned from the church in 2008, McClurkin allegedly tracked down his location and assaulted him twice.

Corletto “attempted to quit on multiple occasions” but was denied, according to the suit, with McClurkin allegedly “coercing him to stay” by telling Corletto “his ‘deliverance’ and ‘purpose’ were tied to” the pastor.

McClurkin has appeared here many times for his anti-LGBTQ tirades going back to 2007. 

From my November 2009 post: 

Donnie McClurkin, the supposedly “ex-gay” preacher that has been spotted having intimate dinners with “flamboyant” young men in quiet Manhattan restaurants, appeared at the Church of God In Christ’s youth conference in Memphis to babble in tongues and call gays “vampires” (among other lovely things). Take it away Rod McCullom:

In the first of three disgusting YouTube videos, McClurkin begins his rant against Tonex, the gospel star and minister who recently confirmed his long-rumored sexuality. McClurkin says Tonex is a “perversion” and must pray away the gay: “God did not call young people to such peversion. Society has failed him, his church has failed him … I would be homosexual to this day if Jesus hadn’t delivered.”

McClurkin also rails against against openly gay youth as “broken and feminine”: “I see feminine men, feminine boys, everywhere I go … No, don’t applaud ‘cuz it ain’t funny. It’s because we failed. I see them everywhere.”

In December 2009, the Black Gay Men’s Network published a full-page ad in the NYC daily newspaper Metro in reaction to attacks on the LGBTQ community by black clergy and in response to McClurkin’s hateful rantings.