Viral “looksmaxxing” influencer Clavicular, whose real name is Braden Peters, is reportedly facing serious criminal charges in Massachusetts.
The 20-year-old has been charged in connection with an alleged May 23, 2025, incident involving a woman, with prosecutors filing the charges at a Cape Cod courthouse on September 8 this year.
The latest development follows months of controversy surrounding Peters, from serious allegations by another online personality to previous run-ins with law enforcement.
One critic sarcastically wrote, “Every time I see bro’s name it gets worse and worse.”
“Looksmaxxer” influencer Clavicular, whose real name is Braden Peters, has recently been hit with multiple serious charges
Peters is widely known as a prominent and controversial figure within the “looksmaxxing” movement, an online subculture focused on physical self-improvement to enhance attractiveness and social status.
His content has included extreme appearance-related practices and terminology associated with the community, including “bone smashing,” in which people intentionally strike their facial bones with hard objects in an attempt to alter their appearance.
Braden has also attracted attention for his provocative livestreams and controversial statements, helping him build a substantial following across social media and streaming platforms.
Now, that online persona is being overshadowed by the criminal case filed against him in Massachusetts.
Court records reviewed by ABC News show that the influencer is facing three disturbing charges: one count each of criminal r*pe, dru**ing a person for s**ual in***course, and procuring liquor for a minor under the age of 21.
The alleged offenses date back to last year, although authorities have not publicly released extensive details about what prosecutors say happened.
As news of the charges circulated online, some commenters said the latest allegations did not feel completely out of character based on what they had already seen from the influencer.
One person sarcastically wrote, “Pretends to be shocked, no surprise tbh.”
The latest charges, including one for criminal r*pe, come months after another female influencer accused Peters of serious misconduct
Another added, “I have no reason to not be surprised, and yet I’m not? The assumption in general I apologize for, the ‘ur a piece of sh*t’ reaction I’m not sorry for.”
“Everybody please pretend to be flabbergasted,” commented a third, while another said, “Classic it’s always the ones you suspect the most situation.”
Others expressed, “Not surprised, but i really do hope the victim(s?) gets the justice they deserve.”
One comment read, “I knew this was a horrible person i knew it i just couldn’t prove it ”
“Hopefully we can stop hearing from him and his tendencies to change his face when he feels threatened by an attractive man. Chopvicular needs to be locked up!”
However, not everyone online appeared convinced by the allegations or the timing of the legal proceedings.
Some commenters questioned the gap between the alleged incident and the filing of the civil lawsuit and criminal charges, while others stressed that Braden remains legally presumed innocent.
One person questioned, “She sues him and now files criminal charges. If she felt that he a**aulted her that night, why did she wait eleven months to first file a lawsuit and 15 months to file criminal charges?”
Another wrote, “Clavicular did nothing wrong! Innocent until proven guilty remember people”
“I don’t believe it… He’s innocent,” a third supporter said.
Reportedly, the looksmaxxing influencer is due to appear in court for an arraignment next month, on October 14.
His representative, Mitchell Jackson, pushed back against reports about the case, saying Peters had not been served in person.
According to some reports, Jackson also accused The Bulwark, which first reported the charges, of “exaggerating” the situation.
The legal proceedings are still in the early stages, and the charges are allegations, not findings of guilt.
The new charges also follow Peters becoming the subject of a civil lawsuit filed by influencer Aleksandra Vasilevna Mendoza, known online as Alorah Ziva.
Many social media users reacted to the charges by saying they were not surprised and had even “seen it coming”
Mendoza reportedly filed the lawsuit in Miami-Dade County in April 2026, accusing Peters of battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, fraud, and unauthorized publication of her name and likeness.
According to the lawsuit, Mendoza was a teenage influencer when she met Braden.
She alleged that he paid her $1,000 to film content and wanted her to serve as a “female face for looksmaxxing.”
She also alleged that Peters arranged transportation for her to travel to Cape Cod.
Mendoza further alleged that he provided her with excessive amounts of vodka and that he had intimate relations with her while she was unable to consent.
The lawsuit contains other disturbing allegations about their interactions.
Braden has denied the allegations and pushed back against the lawsuit, with his legal team saying he intends to defend himself.
Previously in March, he was arrested in Florida on a misdemeanor battery warrant stemming from an alleged fight at an Airbnb near Orlando.
According to authorities, investigators determined that Peters had instigated the altercation between two women and had posted the incident online.
He was also accused of criminal conspiracy to commit battery.
Clavicular has had several other run-ins with law enforcement this year, from a brawl to firing handguns at an alligator
Fort Lauderdale Sheriff’s Office
Another case involved an incident in the Everglades that was captured on video.
The footage appeared to show Peters and others on an airboat allegedly taking aim and firing at an alligator.
Braden was charged with unlawfully discharging a firearm in public.
In May, he and Andrew Morales pleaded no contest and were sentenced to six months of probation, 20 hours of community service, and firearm and wildlife-safety courses.
Peters’ attorney said he had been following instructions from a licensed airboat guide and that no people or animals were harmed.
He also made headlines in April after being hospitalized following what his representative described as a suspected ove**ose during a livestream.
Afterward, he spoke about wanting to stop using illegal substances.
Those incidents have contributed to the increasingly controversial public image surrounding the young streamer.
For now, the three criminal charges remain allegations, and the court proceedings will determine how the case moves forward.
“It was only a matter of time tbh. So sad that all the surgeries he got still gave him no brain disgusting!” one netizen fumed
