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Joe Gatto on October 04, 2019 in New York City.
- Joe Gatto is entering an in-patient facility after becoming the subject of sexual assault and harassment allegations, PEOPLE exclusively confirms
- A source tells PEOPLE that the comedian, best known for starring on Impractical Jokers, had to cancel his upcoming tour dates
- Gatto previously denied the allegations but said in a statement: “I have used poor judgment and as a result have violated the trust of the people I love most.”
Joe Gatto is taking time to focus on himself.
The Impractical Jokers star, 48, will be entering an in-patient facility after multiple women came forward and accused him of sexual assault and sexual harassment, PEOPLE can exclusively confirm.
“Having taken some time to reflect, l’ve decided to voluntarily enter an inpatient program to continue working on myself,” the married father of two said in a statement. “I just want to thank my friends, fans and especially my family for all of their support — never more so than over the last few days.”
A source close to the situation also tells PEOPLE that all of Gatto’s upcoming scheduled tour dates will be canceled.
Before entering the facility, Gatto was accused of sexual assault. A former employee also came forward about her negative experiences with the comedian.
On March 20, a TikTok user, who goes by joozyb, accused Gatto of sexually assaulting her when she was 19 in a series of now-deleted videos, allegations which Gatto has denied. Shortly after, a second woman — a source who previously worked for Gatto during his time on Impractical Jokers — claimed that the comedian exhibited unwanted behaviors that she described as sexual harassment.
On March 22, a rep for the comedian issued a statement in response to the allegations, saying: “I have used poor judgment and as a result have violated the trust of the people I love most. But anyone who knows me at all knows full well that I wouldn’t assault anyone.”
“Working on myself is an ongoing process,” the statement, which was first obtained by Page Six, continued, “and I am now going to take some time away from the public eye to focus my energies where I need to.”
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Joe Gatto on May 20, 2023 in Miami, Florida.
The second accuser — who was employed by the comedian prior to his departure from Impractical Jokers, which he announced in late 2021 — told PEOPLE that she first met Gatto at one of his live shows when she was 15, and claims that as soon as she turned 18, his behavior shifted, becoming very flirtatious.
The source claimed that before starting the job, just after graduating from college, one of the comedian’s previous employees allegedly warned her that she perceived him to sometimes be flirty and handsy.
During her time working for the Impractical Jokers star, the source alleged, he occasionally inappropriately grabbed her and asked for back massages. She also claimed Gatto once invited her to his room, and asked her to cuddle. Gatto also made frequent inquiries into her sex life, she alleged.
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Joe Gatto on February 15, 2016 in New York City.
The source also said Gatto would brag often about being in an open relationship with his wife, Bessy — a claim she now suspects was false. (The couple, who share two kids, split in 2021 after eight years of marriage, and later got back together.)
Gatto privately responded to her posts on social media to tell her she’s “hot,” and acted possessive, getting jealous when she would post photos of her actual boyfriend, she claimed.
When she rejected his advances or refused to flirt back, Gatto would be rude to her the following day at work, the source claimed, noting that she felt as though she always had to work to keep him at ease, fearing she could lose her job. She alleged his behavior was part of a larger pattern of alleged emotional manipulation.
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If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
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