‘Impractical Jokers’ Star Joe Gatto Accused of Sexual Assault: The Allegations Explained

Joe Gatto was one of the beloved cast members of Impractical Jokers from 2011 to 2021. However, his reputation was recently tainted amid sexual assault allegations.

The former television star is now making some major life changes amid the allegations he’s facing. Scroll down for everything we know about what’s going on.

What are the allegations against Joe Gatto?

Gatto’s issues began on March 20 when a woman posted now-deleted TikTok videos with allegations of sexual assault against him. She claimed that Gatto sexually assaulted her when she was 19 years old in 2023.

The woman alleged that she met Gatto while he was performing in Milwaukee. She claimed that they had been messaging on Instagram before and after his show. She said Gatto’s texts started “to get a little weird,” and then he invited her to his hotel room where the alleged assault occurred. The alleged victim also posted photos with the truTV star and apparent screenshots of their text message conversations.

After the videos went viral, Gatto denied the claims. “I have used poor judgment and as a result have violated the trust of the people I love most,” he told Page Six. “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.”

Days later, another woman, who worked with Gatto on Impractical Jokers, told People that Gatto had sexually harassed her with “unwarranted behaviors.” The source said she was 15 when she met Gatto at one of his shows and claimed that his behavior toward her became flirty when she turned 18.

Once she started working for Impractical Jokers, Gatto began asking her for back massages, invited her to his room to cuddle, and made “frequent inquiries into her sex life,” the woman alleged. She also claimed that Gatto would be “rude” to her if she rejected his advances and said his “emotional manipulation” lasted for two years before she left the show.

Gatto did not directly address these claims, but a spokesperson referenced his previous statement when reached for comment by People.

Why did Joe Gatto cancel his tour?

After the claims from these two women were made public, Gatto began inpatient treatment at a facility and canceled his upcoming comedy tour.

“Having taken some time to reflect, I’ve decided to voluntarily enter an inpatient program to continue working on myself,” he said. “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.”

Why did Joe Gatto leave Impractical Jokers?

Gatto left Impractical Jokers at the very end of 2021 after 10 years starring alongside his friends on the prank show. He shared the news on Instagram, while also announcing that he had separated from his wife, Bessy, whom he married in 2013.

“Due to some issues in my personal life, I have to step away,” he shared. “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.”

He included messages to his costars and fans before concluding, “As I work through the challenges I am facing, I hope to and am excited to create new ways to entertain you.”

Is Joe Gatto back with his wife?

By September 2023, Gatto and his wife had reconciled. He confirmed the news in another Instagram post.

 

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A post shared by Joe Gatto (@joe_gatto)

“[Ten] years ago when we started out, I could have never imagined the absolute crazy ride with highs and lows our marriage has endured,” he shared. “But there was always love. And me knowing that there is no one else I’d want to be my person. I love your compassion, your resilience and your giggle. Thanks for this decade. And I’m happy and hopeful that we will be able to get a few more in because we have proven with compassion, forgiveness and an open heart we can do this. Together. Looking forward to more of it all, including laughing together, memory making with our incredible family and of course…dogs. Love you so much Mrs. Gatto.”

Bessy has not commented on the new allegations against her husband.

Will Joe Gatto return to Impractical Jokers?

Since leaving Impractical Jokers, Gatto has focused on his solo comedy career. He released a Hulu special called Messing With People in 2025 and admitted that he has no plans to return to his roots on Impractical Jokers.

“It does not feel right, and I cannot commit to coming back to it,” he told The Wrap. “I’ve moved on from the show, the show has moved on from me. I am so removed from it.”

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However, he confirmed he’s still friends with his former costars and said that he could see himself returning for a series finale if the show ever ends. “I would, of course, love to close it in a fun way,” he added. “We talked about that a little bit. I would say it is definitely not the end of me collaborating with those guys. We have been doing it for decades before that and we will be doing it for decades after. We work on little side things here and there together. I love working with them. So who knows?”