Donnie McClurkin is a well-lauded gospel singer. However, this time, he has been in the limelight for some serious allegations of s**ual abuse.
Donnie McClurkin is a three-time Grammy-winning gospel singer and pastor. The singer has recently been in the headlines for the alleged accusations of s**ually abusing a young man during one of his "pray the gay away" spiritual sessions. The singer has been conducting these sessions for several years.
According to NBC, the man has now filed a lawsuit against the pastor-singer. The revelation left everyone stunned, as Donnie McClurkin is a well-known name, and his involvement in a matter of such severity has come as a massive shock. As the case gains attention, let us take a look at who the gospel singer is and the case that has brought him to the limelight.
According to NBC, a lawsuit was filed against Donnie McClurkin on January 2, 2026, in the New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan. The case was filed by a man named Giuseppe Corletto, who has alleged that he was s**ually abused by the gospel singer during one of his "pray the gay away" spiritual sessions. Giuseppe revealed that he first met Grammy-winning singer in 2003 when he was 21 years old.
The lawsuit alleges that Giuseppe Corletto was struggling to reconcile his s**uality with his Christian faith. It further shared that he began attending during this struggle and that he started attending Donnie McClurkin's church on Long Island, New York, after reading the esteemed singer-pastor's autobiographical book. However, what began as a spiritual mentorship later took a form that completely broke Giuseppe. The man stated that he was assaulted and r**ed by the singer between 2007 and 2015.
According to the reports, the civil lawsuit cites that Donnie McClurkin, who was 44 years old at the time, allegedly took Giuseppe Corletto under his wing as his personal assistant. The file revealed that they even went on several business trips together, during which the latter had accused the singer of s**ually assaulting him. NBC also reported that Donnie, known for his song, Speak to My Heart had allegedly later sent Giuseppe an apology email, calling himself a "desperate, dirty old man."
Since the lawsuit was filed on January 2, 2026, Donnie McClurkin has denied Giuseppe Corletto's allegations. The gospel singer's attorney, Greg Lisi, has also issued a statement claiming that the allegations against Donnie are "categorically false". In a statement to NBC, Greg denied all the allegations on Donnie's behalf and stated:
"At no time did Pastor McClurkin engage in any form of sexual abuse, assault, or sexual coercion of Mr. Corletto."
The lawsuit has created a stir online, leaving fans of the singer in shock. However, for those who are not familiar with the artist, let us take a quick look. Donnie McClurkin is a prominent American gospel singer, pastor, and church leader. According to his church's website, he is the founder and senior pastor of Perfecting Faith Church (PFC) in Freeport, New York. The gospel singer was born on November 9, 1959, and was ordained in 2001. Donnie hails from Copiague, New York, to Donald McClurkin Sr. and Frances McClurkin.
Donnie McClurkin began his musical journey at an early age and found his passion in gospel singing. He joined the choir at Amityville Full Gospel Tabernacle and became a member of Benny Cummings and the King's Temple Choir at the young age of 15. He attended Walter G. O'Connell Copiague High School. According to reports, Donnie McClurkin is a three-time Grammy Award-winning gospel artist.
Known for his songs like We Fall Down, Only You Are Holy, Lord I Lift Your Name on High, Great And Mighty Is Our God, I Call You Faithful and I Need You, Donnie McClurkin has 10 Stellar Awards and numerous other honours. In 2019, he received the Founders Award for Lifetime Achievement at the NAACP Image Awards, recognising his impact on gospel music and ministry.
After being ordained in 2001, Donnie McClurkin was tasked with planting a new church after serving as an assistant pastor under Bishop Marvin Winans at Perfecting Church in Detroit, Michigan, for more than a decade. Perfecting Faith Church started as a community of 200 members and has since grown to more than 3,000 congregants. Beyond his role as the pastor, Donnie is known for his work in evangelism and community outreach.
For the unversed, evangelism is the spreading of the Christian gospel by public preaching or personal witness. Perfecting Faith Church operates on the principle that "Ministry Means People," encouraging all members to serve in various capacities. The church has established ministries in Hempstead, New York; Lakeland, Florida; Chester, South Carolina; and Harlem, New York.
Apart from his work with the church, Donnie is also the founder and president of The New York Call, an alliance of more than 100 ministries across the New York tri-state area. The alliance has a massive influence on the community, with an annual interdenominational event that draws over 10,000 attendees and focuses on faith-based outreach. Additionally, Donnie has over 2.2 million followers on Facebook alone. With access to such a wide network, the pastor being named in such a serious case has shocked people.
What are your thoughts on Donnie McClurkin? Let us know.
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