No criminal charges or civil lawsuit have been reported against Joe Gatto over the 2025 sexual assault and harassment allegations made against him, according to the available reporting. The Impractical Jokers lawsuit on the public record is a separate 2019 case brought against the show itself by a woman who said she was filmed without consent during a hidden-camera segment. Gatto has denied assaulting anyone while acknowledging “poor judgment.”1BBC News. Joe Gatto Denies Sexual Assault Allegation
The 2025 Allegations Against Joe Gatto
On March 20, 2025, a woman posting under the TikTok handle “joozyb” said Gatto had sexually assaulted her at a Milwaukee hotel in September 2023, when she was 19. She said she met Gatto by chance, attended one of his stand-up shows on meet-and-greet passes he provided, and was invited to his hotel room afterward. She posted photographs of bruises she attributed to Gatto and said he had used Instagram’s “vanish mode” for their private messages beforehand.1BBC News. Joe Gatto Denies Sexual Assault Allegation2Deadline. Impractical Jokers’ Joe Gatto Denies Sexual Assault Allegation
Two days later, Gatto responded publicly. “I have used poor judgment and as a result have violated the trust of the people I love most,” he said. “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.”3Variety. Joe Gatto Responds to Sexual Assault Allegations
On March 23, People published an exclusive report in which a second woman, a former employee, alleged years of sexual harassment. She said she first met Gatto at a live show when she was 15 and that his behavior turned “very flirtatious” after she turned 18. She worked for him after college and before his 2021 departure from the show. She said Gatto frequently asked about her sex life, requested back massages, grabbed her upper thigh in a hotel elevator, and once invited her to his room and asked her to “cuddle.” She described the behavior as harassment and did not allege assault.4People. Impractical Jokers’ Joe Gatto Accused by Second Woman, a Former Employee, of Inappropriate Behavior Gatto’s representative pointed reporters to his earlier statement.5The Columbian. Comedian Joe Gatto Cancels Tour, Enters Treatment Amid Sexual Assault Allegations
Gatto’s Response: Tour Canceled, Inpatient Treatment
On March 26, 2025, Gatto said he had voluntarily entered an inpatient program and canceled the remaining dates on his Let’s Get Into It tour through the end of June. Ticketmaster confirmed automatic refunds.6Variety. Joe Gatto Cancels Tour, Enters Treatment After Allegations7People. Joe Gatto Cancels Tour, Enters In-Patient Facility After Sexual Assault Allegations
A representative said in May 2025 that Gatto had completed the inpatient program and was continuing treatment at home. He returned to social media in August 2025 and had resumed stand-up dates by mid-2025, with shows scheduled into late 2025.8Yahoo Entertainment. Impractical Jokers Star Joe Gatto
No Lawsuit or Criminal Charges Have Been Filed
The available reporting does not indicate that either accuser has filed a criminal complaint or a civil suit. The claims sit outside the court system as public accusations. Gatto has denied the assault allegation while acknowledging what he called poor judgment and a breach of trust.1BBC News. Joe Gatto Denies Sexual Assault Allegation
The 2019 Hidden-Camera Lawsuit Against the Show
The only Impractical Jokers lawsuit reflected in the reporting is unrelated to Gatto personally. In 2019, Giovanna Santoni-Waldinger, then 40, sued in Manhattan Supreme Court, alleging she had been secretly filmed while eating with co-workers at City Kitchen in Times Square on November 30, 2017. She said she refused to sign a release after learning about the filming, but that an 88-second segment showing her “clearly recognizable” face aired on truTV on March 1, 2019.9New York Post. Queens Woman Suing Impractical Jokers TV Show for Disrespecting Her10SILive. Impractical Jokers Being Sued Over Hidden Camera Bit
“I just want justice. I saw what they did and it’s not right,” Santoni-Waldinger told the New York Post. The reporting available does not include a resolution.
Gatto Had Already Left the Show
Gatto’s exit from Impractical Jokers predates the 2025 allegations by three years. He announced his departure on Instagram on January 1, 2022, citing “some issues in my personal life” and a need to focus on co-parenting his two children after separating from his wife, Bessy Gatto.11CNN. Gatto Leaving Impractical Jokers The couple later reconciled in 2023, the same year as the alleged Milwaukee hotel incident described by the first accuser.12South China Morning Post. Who Is Joe Gatto’s Wife Bessy Gatto Gatto has said he has “no plans to return” to the show, though he has not ruled out an appearance in a possible series finale.13TV Insider. Impractical Jokers Joe Gatto Sexual Assault Allegations Legal Issues