French Streamer Jean Pormanove Dies Following 12-Day Live Stream Marred by Alleged Abuse and Bullying; Investigation Underway

French authorities are investigating the death of a prominent streamer, Raphaël Graven, who passed away during a nearly 12-day live stream following apparent abusive and degrading treatment.

Graven, aged 46, was recognized as one of France’s leading streamers on platform Kick and died on Monday. The decorated military veteran had amassed an audience exceeding a million across various platforms by broadcasting himself playing video games and regularly participating in extreme challenges.

Since 2023, he had collaborated with several other streamers, notably Owen Cenazandotti, known online as Naruto, and Safine Hamadi, both of whom participated in Graven’s final livestream.

Cenazandotti announced his demise on Instagram on the day of his death. The livestream, which seemed to capture his passing after he ceased moving, prompted viewers to donate funds to notify sleeping streamers about Graven’s condition via messages.

The Nice prosecutor’s office disclosed that an investigation has been initiated into his death, with an autopsy ordered. No charges related to Graven’s death have been announced thus far by the authorities.

Reviewing numerous videos from past livestreams, CNN found instances where Graven appeared to be a target of jokes, bullying, physical attacks, and humiliating stunts. Joint livestreams revealed his fellow streamers competing to see how long they could restrain him, while other footage showed him being hit with paintballs or doused with water.

Earnings from the livestreams were generated through subscriber donations, and during Graven’s final livestream, a counter indicated that the group had earned approximately 36,000 euros ($42,000) over the duration of the stream.

Throughout his final livestream, spanning nearly 300 hours, participants were frequently awakened by a motorbike revving or a leafblower in their shared bedroom, or by having water thrown on them. At one point, Graven appeared to be woken up when a bucket of water was dumped over him.

In an interview with CNN affiliate BFMTV, Yassin Sadouni, Cenazandotti’s lawyer, revealed that Graven suffered from cardiovascular problems. In one video, Graven discussed taking medication, while in another, Cenazandotti claimed to read messages sent by Graven to his mother in which he expressed feelings of being “held captive” by his co-streamers.

Cenazandotti stated that Graven’s message read, “The game is going too far,” during his final livestream. It remains unclear who precisely Graven was referring to, as he later told Cenazandotti, “You know what I’m like when I’m angry” regarding the messages.

In another clip, Graven’s mother expressed concern over the phone for him allowing the co-streamers to shave parts of his hair.

“Are you proud of your hair? Did you see what he did to you?” she asked, “They are treating you like dirt.”

Sadouni, Cenazandotti’s lawyer, informed BFMTV that Graven’s mother participated in staged stunts with the streamers.

Discussions with his co-streamers often revolved around Graven’s aspirations for marriage and parenthood, a desire that seemed to draw mockery from the group. In a video from 2024, Graven was asked how he hoped to be remembered upon his death.

“No wife, no kids. But what a great guy!” Graven responded, “Me, right now, I just want to leave a mark.”

Sadouni confirmed that Cenazandotti – known by his streamer handle Naruto – had no involvement in Graven’s death and declared that all incidents targeting Graven were staged.

“My client is prepared to testify and provide any necessary information,” Sadouni told CNN affiliate BFMTV on Tuesday. Cenazandotti has also filed a complaint with authorities, alleging online harassment since Graven’s death, according to Sadouni.

CNN reached out to Graven’s mother and Hamadi for comment.

Cenazandotti and Hamadi were temporarily detained as part of a police investigation into the humiliation of vulnerable individuals in January 2025, as reported by CNN affiliate BFMTV. According to the Nice prosecutor, they denied any wrongdoing and have not been charged with a crime.

“The death of Jean Graven and the cruel treatment he experienced are an absolute tragedy,” stated French Secretary of State for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs Clara Chappaz on her X platform account on Tuesday.

“Jean Graven was humiliated and mistreated for months live on the Kick platform,” she added.

Kick, the streaming platform used by the streamers, declared that all those involved in the broadcast had been banned “pending the ongoing investigation,” which the site will cooperate with, as stated in a communication to CNN on Wednesday.