New York (AFP) – A prominent online “looksmaxxing” influencer known as “Clavicular” pleaded not guilty Thursday to rape charges in the northeastern US state of Massachusetts, US media reported. Braden Eric Peters, 20, was charged with rape, drugging a person for sexual intercourse, and procuring liquor while under 21 years old, according to the criminal complaint.
Peters appeared in person for the short arraignment in Orleans, Massachusetts, The New York Times and other outlets reported. The offenses involving a 17-year-old girl, whose identity is being withheld, are alleged to have occurred in May 2025 at his family home on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Peters could face up to 20 years in state prison if convicted of rape and would be required to register as a sex offender.
Peters has attracted a large internet following as a “looksmaxxer,” which involves using extreme measures to improve one’s physical appearance. Looksmaxxing influencers — part of an online ecosystem dubbed the “manosphere” — have surged in popularity across social media, capitalizing on the insecurities of young men eager to boost their physical attractiveness to women.
In posts across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, they promote pseudoscientific methods to achieve everything from pouty lips to chin extensions while monetizing their popularity by endorsing a range of consumer products.
© 2024 AFP
