Influencer 'Clavicular' charged with rape and drugging woman for sex

A US influencer who shot to fame as the face of the "looksmaxxing" trend has been charged with rape, providing alcohol to a person under legal drinking age and drugging someone for sexual intercourse.

The 20-year-old known as "Clavicular", whose real name is Braden Eric Peters, has been ordered to appear in court in Massachusetts, where the offences allegedly took place in May 2025.

Mr Peters is a popular live streamer and promoter of looksmaxxing, an extreme pursuit of beauty among young men.

His online moniker refers to his pointy clavicles, or collarbones. He has previously boasted of using off-label or illicit drugs, and even hitting his own face with a hammer, to alter his bone structure in a quest for aesthetic greatness.

The trend has drawn warnings from mental health experts, who say it is unhealthy and dangerous.

The charges in Massachusetts are the latest in a series of legal woes for Mr Peters.

A separate lawsuit was filed in April by a teenager who alleged Mr Peters plied her with alcohol during a party in Massachusetts in 2025 and had sex with her while she was unable to consent.

It is unclear whether the new charges relate to that alleged incident. But on Monday, local time, Mr Peters posted a cryptic message on social media, accusing the teenager of "trying to get my attention in anyway possible, a lawsuit".

"Seriously … really petty of you," he added.

In February, he was charged in Arizona with having fake identification and unprescribed medication, including an oral steroid and the ADHD drug Adderall, but those charges were later dropped.

In March, he and his girlfriend were charged with assaulting a 19-year-old woman. Those charges were also dropped.

And in May, he was sentenced to six months' probation for shooting a dead alligator in Florida during a live stream.

Mr Peters is yet to respond to the latest charges directly.

The ABC has attempted to contact a lawyer and spokesperson for Mr Peters but is yet to receive a response.

One of his lawyers told The New York Times his client was innocent but declined to comment further.

In Massachusetts, rape carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, while drugging a person for sex carries a mandatory sentence of between 10 years and life in state prison.

Mr Peters is due in court for an arraignment hearing on October 14.

In April, a clip of Mr Peters being interviewed on Australia's 60 Minutes program went viral when he walked out after being asked if he identified with the "incel" community.

Incel, short for "involuntary celibate", refers to an online subculture of men who blame women or society for their inability to form sexual relationships.