An alleged former employee of “Impractical Jokers” alum Joe Gatto has accused him of inappropriate behavior and unwanted touching.
The unidentified woman told People Sunday that she first met the comedian at a live show when she was 15 years old, but she claimed Gatto’s behavior became flirtatious once she turned 18.
She claimed she was hired by the TV personality shortly after graduating college and worked for him for two years.
The woman claimed that during her time employed by Gatto he would occasionally grab her inappropriately and ask for back massages.
She further alleged to the outlet that Gatto, 48, would ask about her sex life, invite her to his room and once grabbed her upper thigh while they were in an elevator on a work trip.
She also claimed that the actor often talked about his open marriage with his wife, Bessy, which the accuser now believes was untrue.
Gatto and his wife, who share two children, split in 2021 after eight years of marriage before reconciling nearly two years later.
Additionally, the alleged ex-employee claimed Gatto would often tell her she’s “hot” in response to her social media posts and get jealous when she posted photos of her boyfriend.
When she refused Gatto’s alleged advances, the woman claimed to People that he would be “rude” to her the next day.
She claimed to be afraid of losing her job if she didn’t keep him happy.
She described Gatto’s alleged pattern of behavior as “emotional manipulation.”
In response to the claims published Sunday, a rep for Gatto referred Page Six to the comedian’s prior statement after he was accused by a TikTok user of sexual assault.
Gatto denied the serious accusations, though he admitted to bad decision-making in the past.
“I have used poor judgment and as a result have violated the trust of the people I love most,” he exclusively told us Saturday.
“But anyone who knows me at all knows full well that I wouldn’t assault anyone.”
