‘Impractical Jokers’ Alum Joe Gatto Accused of Sexual Assault

Former Impractical Jokers star Joe Gatto is facing accusations of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior by two women.

The accusations were first raised in a Thursday, March 20 TikTok video by a user who goes by joozyb, who claimed Gatto sexually assaulted her when she was 19.

In a series of since-deleted TikTok videos, the TikToker claimed the assault happened at a Milwaukee hotel after seeing one of Gatto’s shows in September 2023. The woman, who said she was 19 at the time, according to PEOPLE, said she began texting the comedian after approaching him in a restaurant for a photo, and Gatto later gifted her two show tickets and meet-and-greet tickets to his Milwaukee show at the Pabst Theater.

Following the show, she and Gatto allegedly continued to message each other via Instagram direct message and Gatto eventually invited her to his hotel room. The woman did not go into detail about what occurred, but claimed “some stuff happened.”

The user also shared screenshots that appeared to show her and Gatto direct messaging one another, as well as a photo of bruises on her backside, which she claimed Gatto made “with his teeth.” She wrote in the caption of the photo, “Yes he did S.A me. yes he had JUST gotten back together with his wife. I’m sorry you guys don’t want to hear it but.”

“I’ve been wanting to tell people this for so long,” she said in one video. “I’ve tried in different ways, but it’s hard with somebody this big. [I’ve] come to the realization that if I do say something, that I’m really saying something.”

Gatto denied the accusations in a statement over the weekend.

“I have used poor judgment and as a result have violated the trust of the people I love most,” he said in a statement obtained by Variety. “But anyone who knows me at all knows full well that I wouldn’t assault anyone. Working on myself is an ongoing process, and I am now going to take some time away from the public eye to focus my energies where I need to.”

Just days later, a second woman, who said she worked for Gatto prior to his exit from Impractical Jokers in 2021, accused the comedian of inappropriate behavior and emotional manipulation. The woman said she first met Gatto when she was 15, but his behavior became flirtatious as soon as she turned 18.

She told PEOPLE that Gatto “occasionally inappropriately grabbed her and asked for back massages,” invited her to his room and asked her to cuddle, allegedly made frequent inquiries about her sex life, and bragged “about being in an open relationship with his wife, Bessy.” She also alleged that Gatto would privately respond to her social media posts by calling her “hot,” and also acted possessive of her, getting jealous when she shared photos of her boyfriend. The woman claimed that during a work trip, Gatto grabbed her thigh while in an elevator. During another trip, she said Gatto insisted employees come back to his room to drink.

The woman said that Gatto would be “rude” to her when she rejected his advances, and she “felt as though she always had to work to keep him at ease, fearing she could lose her job.”

When PEOPLE reached out to Gatto’s reps about the new allegations, the outlet was directed to Gatto’s earlier statement denying the original accusations.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.