Former “Impractical Jokers” star Joe Gatto has been accused of sexual assault.
TikTok user Joozyb claimed in a March 20 video that she was sexually assaulted by the comedian, 48, when she was 19 years old in 2023.
Gatto denied the accusation in a statement to Page Six on Saturday.
“I have used poor judgment and as a result have violated the trust of the people I love most,” said Gatto. “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,” Gatto continued.
The Post has reached out to Gatto for comment.
In a series of TikToks, Gatto’s accuser claimed they met at one of his shows in Milwaukee in September 2023.
Joozyb shared screenshots of the pair’s alleged DM exchanges on Instagram, where Gatto allegedly told her that he was giving her “two meet greet passes” so she could come backstage. Joozyb also posted a photo of her and Gatto together.
“I was drunk, whatever, and he was texting me all this stuff,” Joozyb said in one of her videos. “And, like, it was starting to get a little weird, you know?”
Joozyb claimed that after the show Gatto started putting his Instagram messages on vanish mode. She said that in those messages, he allegedly told her how to get to his hotel room, where the alleged assault occurred.
In another TikTok, Joozyb showed off a bruise on her backside and wrote, “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…”
Gatto split from his wife, Bessy, in 2021 after eight years of marriage, which sparked his decision to quit “Impractical Jokers.”
“Due to some issues in my personal life, I have to step away,” he wrote on Instagram at the time. “Bessy 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.”
Bessy, who shares two kids with Gatto, said in her own statement, “Although we will no longer be a couple, we will always be a family to our beautiful kids and we look forward to co-parenting together. We ask that you please respect our privacy as we navigate this new chapter together.”
But in Sept. 2023, Gatto announced that he and Bessy decided to reconcile.
“Ten years ago when we started out, I could have never imagined the absolute crazy ride with highs and lows our marriage has endured,” the comedian said on Instagram. “But there was always love. And me knowing that there is no one else I’d want to be my person.”
Gatto added, “We have proven with compassion, forgiveness and an open heart we can do this. Together.”
