French authorities have launched an investigation into the death of Raphaël Graven, a well-known streamer who died during a marathon broadcast that lasted nearly 12 days and reportedly involved humiliating and abusive treatment.
Graven, 46, who streamed under the name Jean Pormanove (JP), passed away on Monday.
A former military man, he had built an online following of over a million across various platforms, particularly on Kick, where he was celebrated for video game streams and daring endurance challenges.
Since 2023, he had frequently collaborated with fellow content creators Owen Cenazandotti (known as Naruto online) and Safine Hamadi, both of whom were present during his final livestream. Cenazandotti later confirmed his death in an Instagram post.
Clips from the stream circulated online show viewers donating money in an effort to alert others after Pormanove became unresponsive.
According to the Nice prosecutor’s office, an autopsy has been ordered, though no charges have yet been brought.
Past livestream footage reviewed by CNN depicts Pormanove as a recurring target of taunts, rough pranks, and degrading stunts.
Some videos show him being throttled, hit with paintballs, or soaked with water, often in exchange for paid viewer interactions. The final broadcast, which stretched close to 300 hours, had raised about 36,000 euros ($42,000).
The conditions during the marathon stream were harsh: participants were frequently jolted awake by motorbikes revving indoors, a leaf blower, or even buckets of water.
Pormanove’s health had been a concern. In a conversation broadcast during the event, lawyer Yassin Sadouni said his client, Cenazandotti, noted that the streamer “suffered from cardiovascular problems.” In other clips, Pormanove mentioned taking medication.
One moment in the livestream drew particular concern. Cenazandotti read aloud messages that he claimed were sent by Pormanove to his mother, in which the streamer complained of being trapped.
“I feel like I’m being held prisoner by their sh*y concept,” the message read. Later, Pormanove clarified, “you know what I’m like when I’m angry.”
Tension also surfaced in a phone call with his mother, where she scolded him for allowing his collaborators to shave parts of his hair. “Are you proud of your hair? Did you see what he did to you? They are treating you like s**.”*
Sadouni argued that some of these incidents were staged and emphasized that Cenazandotti bore no responsibility for Pormanove’s death.
“My client is ready to be heard and to provide all useful information,” he told BFMTV, adding that Cenazandotti himself has filed a harassment complaint following the backlash online.
This was not the first time Cenazandotti and Hamadi faced scrutiny. The pair had been briefly detained in January 2025 as part of an inquiry into the humiliation of vulnerable people but were released without charge.
For Pormanove, hopes of family life were often mocked by collaborators. In a 2024 video, when asked how he wanted to be remembered, he replied: “No wife, no kids. But what a nice guy! Me, what’s on my mind now, it’s to leave a mark.”
His death has triggered outrage at the treatment he endured. “The death of Jean Pormanove and the violence he endured are an absolute horror,” said Clara Chappaz, France’s Secretary of State for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs. “Jean Pormanove was humiliated and mistreated for months live on the Kick platform.”
Kick has since banned all accounts linked to the broadcast and pledged full cooperation with investigators.
