Social Media Influencer Braden "Clavicular" Petersen Charged with Rape in Massachusetts

Social media influencer Braden Petersen, known online as Clavicular, faces serious charges in Massachusetts including rape, drugging a person for sexual intercourse, and providing alcohol to a minor. The accusations stem from alleged incidents on May 23, 2025, with charges formally filed on September 8 in Cape Cod. If convicted of the rape charge, Petersen could face up to 20 years in prison. A court arraignment is scheduled for October 14.

Petersen's representative, Mitchell Jackson, downplayed the charges, telling The Hollywood Reporter that "Clavicular has not physically received the documents" and that "The Bulwark is exaggerating the status of the case to drive traffic." Petersen himself posted on X, stating, "It happens to all successful young men, people try to come take your money. Greed is evil."

These allegations are not Petersen's first brush with legal trouble. In April, he was charged in Florida with illegal firearm discharge after being filmed shooting an alligator. His attorney stated at the time that the group was following a licensed guide's instructions and no one was harmed. Also in April, Petersen was hospitalized in Miami after an overdose during a livestream, later vowing to abstain from substances.

Petersen, who gained notoriety for promoting "looksmaxxing" and "bone smashing" trends, visited Israel in July, a trip that generated controversy. During his visit, he reportedly disrupted an interview, claimed he was offered a photo with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and appeared in a TikTok video with IDF soldier Shira Brown, which led to her removal from her unit. In January, Petersen was filmed making a Nazi salute at a Miami club.

Separately, Petersen is facing a civil lawsuit in Florida filed in April by Alexandra and Sylvana Mendoza (Alorah Ziva), alleging assault, fraud, and sexual misconduct. They claim Petersen injected Alorah Ziva with Aqualyx, an unapproved fat-dissolving substance, during a livestream in 2025 without her consent. The lawsuit also alleges non-consensual sexual encounters at his parents' Cape Cod home while she was a minor and intoxicated by alcohol he allegedly provided. Petersen's attorney in that case denied the claims and stated he would defend himself vigorously.