Looksmaxxing influencer Braden Peters — better known online as Clavicular — has been at the center of several controversies.
Peters gained a substantial internet following after joining the “looksmaxxing” community, described as a group of men who “obsess over physical self-improvement in the hope that it’ll improve their dating odds,” according to a February 2026 GQ story.
In April 2026, Peters went viral when he abruptly ended and walked off the set of a sit-down with 60 Minutes Australia correspondent Adam Hegarty. Days later, Us Weekly confirmed that Peters had “suffered a suspected overdose” and had “since been hospitalized.”
The looksmaxxing influencer faced legal trouble in September 2026 when he was reportedly charged with rape and drugging a person for sex. He appeared to deny the accusations by tweeting: “Happens to all successful young men, people try to come for your money. Greed is evil.”
Scroll down to see his biggest controversies:
Clavicular Hospitalized After Suspected Overdose
One day after his hospitalization, Peters posted a selfie to X with blood visible on his face.
“Just got home, that was brutal. All of the substances are just a cope trying to feel neurotypical while being in public, but obviously that isn’t a real solution,” he wrote. “The worst part of tonight was my face descending from the life support mask.”
Hours later, Clavicular shared that he would be appearing at the grand opening of the Bacara nightclub in Miami, Florida.
“Hey guys, I’m all good. Bacara Club grand opening is still tonight, so I will see you guys at 12 [a.m.],” Clavicular said via his Instagram Story at the time.
Following the incident, Us confirmed that Clavicular’s rep quit.
“Clavicular’s PR person Mitchell Jackson has quit working with the streamer until he agrees to get treatment for his addiction,” journalist Taylor Lorenz reported via X in April 2026. “Clavicular recently left the hospital against medical advice after an OD incident.”
Aleksandra Vasilevna Mendoza Sues Clavicular
According to court documents obtained by Us, influencer Aleksandra Vasilevna Mendoza filed a lawsuit against Peters for fraud, battery and causing emotional distress. Mendoza alleged that Peters wanted her to serve as the female face of looksmaxxing, and she said the two met when she was 16.
Court documents alleged that Peters had sex with Mendoza “while she was knowingly intoxicated, to the point where she was unable to give consent” and that he referred to these encounters as a “pump and dump.”
The filing further alleged that Peters wanted to inject Mendoza’s face with a product to “melt fat on her cheeks,” during which he “stated or implied that he was acting with medical authority, including by referring to himself as a doctor or otherwise holding himself out as qualified to perform the injection.” Mendoza’s attorneys argued that Peters was not authorized to inject their client in November 2026. The alleged session was livestreamed.
“Peters intentionally injected Mendoza with an unapproved drug without consent, causing physical and psychological injuries to her,” the documents stated. “Under Florida law, these acts constitute battery.”
Peters’ attorney, Steve Kramer, denied the allegations in a statement to Us. “We are aware of the complaint recently filed against Mr. Peters,” Kramer said. “These are allegations only and remain unproven. Mr. Peters denies the claims and disputes the characterization of events. He will respond through the appropriate legal channels and intends to vigorously defend himself.”
Clavicular Arrested for Misdemeanor Battery
In March 2026, Peters was arrested in Fort Lauderdale and charged with misdemeanor battery. The bond was set at $1,000. (Us reached out to Peters’ rep for comment at the time.)
Us learned that there was a fight between Peters’ girlfriend, Violet Marie Lentz, and Jenny Popach — who previously went viral for breaking into the Hype House in June 2020. Peters was present for the incident.
Clavicular Avoided Jail Time After Shooting Allegedly Dead Alligator
Hours prior to his arrest in March 2026, Peters shot an already-dead alligator in the Florida Everglades during a livestream. Us understands that the alligator was dead when the influencer received permission from the boat’s driver to shoot it.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was made aware of the incident and issued a statement. “The FWC is aware of a video depicting individuals in the Everglades on an airboat who appear to be discharging firearms at an alligator,” the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a statement on X.
In May 2026, Peters was sentenced to six months of probation. He pleaded no contest to the charge of unlawfully discharging a firearm in public and avoided jail time as part of the plea agreement. The influencer must complete 20 hours of community service — which could not be livestreamed — and take a firearms safety course, per the New York Times.
If Peters follows the terms of the plea deal, the charge will be removed from his record. His lawyer, Jeffrey Neiman, said in a statement that the influencer “accepted responsibility for his conduct and reached a resolution that appropriately reflects the circumstances of this incident.”
“No individual was injured, and the alligator involved was already deceased prior to the events at issue,” he added.
Clavicular’s YouTube Channels Get Shut Down
In April 2026, Peters confirmed that two of his YouTube channels were shut down. In emails allegedly from YouTube shared by Peters, the channels were removed following “severe or repeated violations” of the website’s Community Guidelines.
“Very sad news this morning. My YouTube channels @ LiveWithClav & @ ClavLooksmax were terminated this morning with no warning or explanation,” he wrote via X at the time. “The channels consisted of livestream VODs and free courses created by me to help empower young men to be the best versions of themselves.”
“Me and my team worked hard to ensure we followed YouTube’s TOS very strictly, blurring out all inapproriate [sic] language and sensitive topics,” Clavicular’s social media post continued, tagging YouTube. “Could you please help in recovering my accounts?”
YouTube confirmed the termination in a separate statement. “We terminated the creator’s original channel back in November 2025,” a spokesperson for the platform told The Hollywood Reporter. “We removed these additional channels under our terms of service, which prohibit creating new channels after a termination.”
Clavicular Walks Off ‘’60 Minutes Australia’
In an interview that aired in April 2026, 60 Minutes Australia correspondent Hegarty asked Peters whether he identifies as an incel.
“How could you ask me that question as a follow-up after you asked me about my relationships to women? I mean, that’s quite literally the worst sequence of questions I think I’ve ever heard,” Peters said.
When Hegarty rephrased the question and pointed out that the “looksmaxxing” term originated in the incel community and asked about the associated, Peters replied, “I’m not linked to that group in any way.”
He continued, “Looksmaxxing is self improvement, right? So it’s about potentially even ascending out of that category. So that would be kind of one of the goals is to disassociate from being an incel and overcome that. So that doesn’t make sense.”
After Hegarty asked about his associations with controversial figures like Andrew Tate, Peters walked off and had his mic removed. A spokesperson for Peters told People: “When the journalist pressed him on a topic that isn’t of his expertise, Clavicular shut him down.”
Clavicular Placed Under Citizen’s Arrest in Shocking Video
On July 24, 2026, Clavicular’s friend and fellow influencer, Drago, posted a 5-minute video showing him involved in a scuffle with a security worker or bodyguard outside Miami’s City Hall over an apparent disagreement in a nearby club. In the footage, Clavicular is quickly wrestled to the asphalt and held in a headlock for close to three minutes.
Shortly after Clavicular complained that he couldn’t breathe, police arrived to separate the two parties. The video showed Clavicular later sitting in the backseat of a squad car while speaking to an officer, though there is no record that he was arrested.
Us reached out to the Miami-Dade Police Department for comment.
Following the incident, Clavicular paid tribute to Drago for documenting the incident, writing via X, “Drago is my right hand man, absolute legend. W Drago.”
Clavicular Was Charged With Rape and Drugging a Minor in 2026
In September 2026, The Bulwark reported that Clavicular was facing three criminal charges in Massachusetts, including rape and drugging a person for sex. The accusations were made by a minor accuser over an alleged incident that took place in Cape Cod in May 2025.
Clavicular seemingly responded to the accusations by sharing an alleged personal letter of thanks from the accuser and multiple private videos.
“Trying to get my attention in anyway [SIC] possible, a lawsuit? Seriously… really petty of you,” he tweeted.
A spokesperson for the influencer told The Hollywood Reporter, “Clavicular has not been physically served. As usual, the Bulwark is exaggerating the status of a case to boost traffic.”
The details of this criminal case are similar to those made in a lawsuit filed by teenage influencer Aleksandra Vasilevna Mendoza earlier this year, though it was not immediately clear whether they were connected.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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