Police investigate death of French online star who died during livestream after ‘10 days of torture’

Prosecutors are investigating the death of an online star who passed away during a 10-day live stream in which he was allegedly subjected to violence and sleep deprivation.

Frenchman Raphael Graven, known as Jean Pormanove, was found by police at his home in Contes, Alpes-Maritimes, France, on Monday. Graven had built an online following by broadcasting livestreams in which he was mistreated and abused by other people.

French media report he had been streaming for more than a week in front of thousands of followers while being made to perform extreme challenges. Internet users said the stream on Kick came to a sudden end after attempts were made to wake Graven up, BFMTV reported.

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Prosecutors in Nice have opened an investigation with an autopsy due to be performed on the Graven’s body. Local police had been looking into alleged “deliberate violent acts” against “vulnerable people” published on the internet over the past eight months, which began after a report by French outlet Mediapart into such videos.

In a post on Instagram, a fellow streamer called Naruto said they “dreaded the day I'd have to write these words”, before announcing his collaborator’s death.

“Sadly, last night, JP (Raphael Graven) left us. My brother, my sidekick, my partner, six years side by side, never letting go. I love you, my brother, and we will miss you terribly,” he wrote.

Clara Chappaz, the minister delegate for artificial intelligence and digital affairs in France, said Graven was “humiliated and mistreated for months live on the Kick platform”.

“The responsibility of online platforms for the dissemination of illegal content is not an option: it is the law. This type of failure can lead to the worst and has no place in France, in Europe, or elsewhere,” she added.

A spokesperson for Kick told the AFP news agency it was “urgently reviewing the circumstances and engaging with relevant stakeholders to investigate the situation.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Jeanpormanove and extend our condolences to his family, friends and community,” they added.

The community guidelines are “designed to protect creators”, the statement continued, adding that it was “committed to upholding these standards across our platforms”. The Independent has contacted Kick for further comment.