Social media star who died on live stream after being 'tortured' for ten days sent final heartbreaking messages to his mother
Raphael Graven, better known online as Jean Pormanove, was a prominent figure in France 's streaming world with over a million followers across social media.
But behind his online persona, he was allegedly trapped in a nightmare of gruesome online challenges involving humiliation, violence, and dangerous stunts.
The popular Kick creator, 46, was found dead overnight on Monday, in bed at his home in Contes, near Nice.
He is believed to have passed away in his sleep during a live broadcast, following what friends have described as relentless 'humiliation streams'.
French prosecutors confirmed an investigation has been launched, with an autopsy ordered. Officials insisted that 'nothing suspicious' had yet been identified, but shocking claims from local media allege Graven endured sleep deprivation, extreme violence, and ingestion of toxic substances before his death.
It has been reported that a few days before his death, Graven sent a heartbreaking final message to his mother to say he felt as if he was 'being held hostage' and admitted he was 'fed up' with the controversial streams that had become his trademark.
His long-time collaborator, who streams under the name Naruto, announced his death on Instagram, paying tribute to his 'brother, sidekick, partner'.
He pleaded with fans not to share clips of the disturbing live stream, where Graven appeared unconscious before being found dead in bed.
The streamer's broadcasts had reportedly featured degrading acts including being slapped, spat on, grabbed by the throat, and pelted with objects - all played out in front of thousands of viewers.
France's Minister for Digital Affairs and Artificial Intelligence, Clara Chappaz, condemned the ordeal as an 'absolute horror' and said platforms must do more to protect vulnerable creators.
Sarah El Hairy, the High Commissioner for Children, described the tragedy as 'horrifying', warning parents to remain vigilant about the violent content children can access online.
Kick, the streaming platform where he built his following as Jean Pormanove, said it was 'deeply saddened' by his death and promised to urgently review the circumstances.
'We are urgently reviewing the circumstances and collaborating with relevant stakeholders. Kick's community guidelines are designed to protect creators, and we are committed to enforcing them across our platform,' a spokesperson told AFP.
The case has shone a harsh spotlight on the murky world of 'humiliation streams', where creators allegedly endure extreme abuse for views and donations.
Two fellow streamers - Owen Cenazandotti, known online as Naruto, and Safine Hamadi, known as Safine - were previously questioned in connection with such content, but both were released after denying wrongdoing.
The pair were taken into police custody in January, but they were soon released as a Nice prosecutor said: 'Both the people likely to be implicated and those who were victims denied the commission of offences.'
Naruto's lawyer insisted his client bore 'no responsibility' for Jeanpormanove's death, telling Le Monde: 'We are awaiting the results of the investigation to determine the conditions of JP's death and identify the responsibilities of each person.'
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