The death of Jean 'JP' Pormanove, 46, during a livestream on the platform Kick has sparked outrage over toxic streaming culture. On August 18, subscribers noticed Pormanove, real name Raphaël Graven, was unresponsive. He had died in his sleep after a 12-day stream where he was allegedly abused by fellow streamers Owen 'Naruto' Cenazandotti and Safine Hamad.
During the stream, Pormanove, a former soldier, was reportedly suffocated with a plastic bag and nappy, deprived of sleep, struck repeatedly, and subjected to other humiliations. Donors paid into the Le Lokal TV channel, with the group allegedly earning €36,000 (£31,700). Viewers described seeing him scream in pain as others threw themselves on top of him.
In his final days, Pormanove told his mother, 'It's going too far.' He had also sent a message complaining of being 'kidnapped' in a 'death game'. Cenazandotti allegedly tried to get Pormanove to absolve them of blame on camera, saying, 'Let him say on camera now that if he dies live tomorrow, it's because of his s***** health and not because of us.'
After Pormanove's death, Cenazandotti called him his 'brother' on social media. Lawyers for both accused streamers denied wrongdoing, claiming the acts were staged or consented to. An autopsy found Pormanove, who had cardiac issues and was on thyroid medication, likely died from medical or toxicological causes, not trauma.
Viewers reported attempts to alert Kick to the violent content, but it was not removed. This was not the first concern; Cenazandotti and Hamad were detained earlier in 2023 for alleged violent acts against vulnerable people but were not charged. French minister Clara Chappaz condemned the humiliation of the veteran, calling for action against such toxic streaming practices.
