Former Impractical Jokers star Joe Gatto has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman when she was just 19 years old.
A TikToker, who goes by the username joozyb, shared a series of videos detailing her allegations about Gatto, 48, according to a report by People.
“I got sexually assaulted by Joe Gatto, the Impractical Joker,” joozyb claimed in a TikTok video posted on Thursday, March 20. “I’m sorry you don’t believe it. The people you idolize aren’t always going to be good.”
The woman went on to explain how the alleged incident occurred. She claimed that she, her mother and her sister ran into Gatto when they had brunch at a restaurant in Milwaukee. She asked to take a photo with the TV star and said that she later sent him a Direct Message on Instagram and asked about the possibility of getting free tickets for his show in the same city. Gatto allegedly gifted her two free tickets, along with meet-and-greet passes, for his standup at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee on September 8, 2023.
After attending the show by herself and then snapping a picture with him afterward, she returned home where she and her roommate began discussing the night as they were drinking. The TikToker claimed that she and Gatto began messaging back and forth on Instagram and it began to “to get a little weird.” She alleged that Gatto put their messages in “Vanishing Mode,” a feature on Instagram that causes messages to disappear after someone exits the chat.
The content creator then alleged that Gatto gave her directions on how to get to his hotel.
Joozyby claimed that after she arrived, “somebody led [her] to the elevator, and somebody was on the elevator with [her] and pressed the button.” While she did not go into specifics about her allegations, she claimed that “some stuff happened.”
In other TikTok videos, she showed alleged screenshots of conversations between herself and Gatto, along with a photo of her bruised buttock, which she claimed was caused by Gatto’s “teeth.”
“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,” she captioned the photo.
In Touch reached out for comment but did not hear back at the time of publication.
In December 2021, Gatto shocked Impractical Jokers fans by announcing he was leaving the show.
“Sorry in advance for the long and more-serious-than-usual note below, I just wanted to let you all know that I will no longer be involved with Impractical Jokers,” his statement read at the time. “Alongside my friends, I’ve devoted a decade of my life to building this franchise and couldn’t be prouder of what has been accomplished. However, due to some issues in my personal life, I have to step away. [Bessy Gatto] and I have decided to amicably part ways, so now I need to focus on being the best father and co-parent to our two incredible kids.”
After thanking his costars Brian “Q” Quinn, James “Murr” Murray and Sal Vulcano, he added, “As I work through the challenges I am facing, I hope to and am excited to create new ways to entertain you.”
While his fellow Impractical Jokers stars were shocked at Gatto’s departure, they announced their plans to continue the show.
Almost two years later, Gatto and Bessy, 42, reunited.
“10 years ago when we started out, I could have never imagined the absolute crazy ride with highs and lows our marriage has endured,” Gatto wrote next to a photo of himself and Bessy in September 2023. “But there was always love. And me knowing that there is no one else I’d want to be my person.”
