Raphael Graven, a 46-year-old Frenchman known online as “Jean Pormanove,” died during a grueling 10-day livestream on the Australian platform Kick. This tragic event, now being referred to as the French Kick streamer death, involved viewers witnessing scenes of extreme violence, including beatings, chokeholds, sleep deprivation, insults, and humiliations. His death shocked thousands who watched live, marking it as a significant event in the streaming community.
Graven’s mother announced his passing online, sparking tributes from old army comrades who remembered him as “big-hearted” and “a very pleasant and simple person,” according to messages on his former unit’s Facebook page. The French Kick streamer death has united people in mourning.
Background of Vulnerability
Friends called Graven gullible and easily influenced. Nicolas Frerot, who knew him from army days in the 2000s, told AFP that Graven was “not very bright” and “physically fragile.” He couldn’t handle push-ups or marching, leading to his early exit from service and emphasizing his vulnerability, which was later exploited in the French Kick streamer death.
After the army, Graven worked at a slaughterhouse but lost the job over hygiene issues, Frerot said. He later built an online following by commentating on games like Fortnite and FIFA with an angry, provocative style.
Graven gained more fame after linking up with southern French influencers NarutoVie and Safine. They featured him in videos showing mistreatment, which escalated to degrading acts that culminated in the French Kick streamer death.
Denials Amid Rising Concerns
In January, police questioned Graven in a probe into “violence against vulnerable people” involving the same group. He denied any abuse, leading to NarutoVie and Safine’s brief detention.
A source close to NarutoVie told AFP that Graven lived “his best life” recently, enjoying outings to restaurants, boats, and beaches. A neighborhood youth claimed the on-stream violence was “just theatre” for buzz, insisting no real harm occurred.
Frerot urged Graven to leave the group, calling them “assholes,” but Graven reassured him everything was fine, despite the eventual reality of the French Kick streamer death.
Investigations Ramp Up
French prosecutors opened a probe into Kick, examining if the platform “knowingly” broadcast “videos of deliberate attacks on personal integrity,” Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau stated.
Separately, Digital Affairs Minister Clara Chappaz announced the government would sue Kick for “negligence” in failing to block dangerous content. The French Kick streamer death has spurred legal actions to prevent further tragedies.
Nice prosecutor Damien Martinelli said evidence and interviews yielded no firm leads on the Kick streamer death cause. An autopsy, scheduled for Thursday, aims to clarify details surrounding this devastating event.
This Kick streamer death exposes the dark side of live streaming, where vulnerability meets exploitation. It urges platforms to act swiftly against harm, protecting users everywhere.
