Private trainer for NBA athletes arrested in connection with rape, drugging in Boston

By WCVB Staff

Click here for updates on this story

    BOSTON (WCVB) — The Rhode Island man police say was arrested in connection with a rape and drugging that happened in downtown Boston is an athletic trainer for high-profile NBA athletes and a speaker at corporate events.

Boston police said 43-year-old Robert McClanaghan, of Warwick, was arrested Friday in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, on charges of rape and drugging for intercourse. McClanaghan was wanted on a warrant issued Thursday in Boston Municipal Court.

Boston police said McClanaghan’s arrest resulted from an investigation conducted by the Boston Police Sexual Assault Unit and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Saturday’s statement did not include specific details about when or precisely where the alleged rape occurred.

McClanaghan was transported by the BPD Fugitive Unit in coordination with Warwick police for booking at Warwick Police Department.

He was arraigned Monday in the Third District Court in Rhode Island’s Kent County, where he was charged as a fugitive from justice. The judge denied McClanaghan’s request to be released from custody.

Robert McClanaghan, 43, of Warwick, Rhode Island, was arrested on charges of rape and drugging for intercourse out of Boston, Massachusetts, on Nov. 18, 2022.

Officials did not confirm the suspect’s occupation, but an arrest photo obtained from Warwick police matches the photo on McClanaghan’s website, where he identifies himself as a keynote speaker for corporate events and a private trainer, who has worked with a number of NBA stars. His client list includes Celtics center Al Horford; MVP winners Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook; and All-Stars Carmelo Anthony, Rudy Gobert, Kyrie Irving, Brook Lopez, Kevin Love and John Wall.

Numerous publications also identify McClanaghan as a Rhode Island native.

McClanaghan graduated from Bishop Hendricken High School and walked on to the Syracuse University men’s basketball team, playing for the Orange from 1998 to 2001. This statistic also matches the age of the suspect, who records show is now 43.

After working as a graduate assistant at the University of South Florida, he returned to Bishop Hendricken in the fall of 2002 for a physical education job. He also served as an assistant coach on the varsity basketball team and worked with Joe Mazzulla, who was named interim head coach of the Boston Celtics in September.

A Celtics spokesperson said McClanaghan is not employed by the team.

In a statement accompanying the announcement of McClanaghan’s arrest, Boston police included a warning about date rape drugs. That message included, “the dangerousness of scentless, colorless, and tasteless drugs such as Rohypnol, also known as roofie, being placed in the drinks of unsuspecting victims. Other drugs commonly used in a similar fashion are GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyric acid) or Ketamine. These drugs and substances can cause disorientation, confusion, temporary paralysis, or unconsciousness, along with a host of other symptoms, leaving the potential victim vulnerable to the intentions of the suspect.”

The police statement encouraged people to adopt these safety strategies:

Use a buddy system and keep each other safe. Be sure that your drink is being served directly by the bartender or your server. Don’t allow people you don’t know or trust to order drinks and deliver them to you. Watch your drink at all times. Never leave your drink unattended. Take your drink with you to the restroom if need be. Keep your hand covered over your drink when you’re not looking at it. Many creative inventions exist that can help you cover your drink. Test your drink with test strips or nail polish that light up a certain color if they detect drugs. Get help immediately if you begin to feel dizzy, nauseated, light-headed, or strange in any way. “Please be aware of any uncharacteristic behavior from your acquaintances and be wary of strangers attempting to lure individuals away from their friends,” police wrote. “Also, should you observe any individual who appears to be in distress, wandering alone late at night, or dressed unsuitably for the weather, be sure to contact the police immediately.”

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.