The French government has opened a judicial investigation into Kick after the sudden and disturbing death of streamer Jean Pormanove, also known as Raphael Graven, during a marathon broadcast on the platform.
Streamer’s Background and Career
Pormanove, a 46-year-old French streamer, began his online career on TikTok before moving to Twitch, where he built a following of nearly 700,000 subscribers. In 2023, he transitioned to Kick, quickly becoming the most-viewed French streamer on the platform. By 2024, he ranked as the fourth most-watched streamer on Kick worldwide.
The Tragic Death
On August 18, 2025, Pormanove passed away in his sleep while livestreaming a broadcast that had been running for over 280 hours. Reports from French media and Dexerto suggest that he endured ten days of sleep deprivation, physical abuse, and dangerous stunts, including attempted suffocation and electrical shocks.
Government Response
The French Minister for Digital Affairs and AI confirmed a judicial investigation is underway, criticizing Kick for failing to moderate or remove harmful content that remained online. Authorities are now examining whether the platform’s lack of oversight contributed to the tragedy.
Controversy Around Collaborators
Pormanove had been streaming with fellow creators Owen “Naruto” Cenazandott and Safine Hamadi. Reports indicate that he wanted to leave what he described as Naruto’s “death game” streaming marathon but claimed he was “locked in.” A viewer’s donation ultimately alerted others to his lack of breathing during the stream. After failed attempts to wake him, the broadcast was cut.
Authorities later found Pormanove alone, with Naruto reportedly absent from the scene. Both Naruto and Hamadi had been arrested earlier in 2025 on suspicion of humiliating vulnerable individuals in their content but were released the same day.
Industry-Wide Impact
The case has sparked intense debate over streaming safety, platform responsibility, and the ethics of marathon broadcasts. Critics argue that Kick’s rapid growth has come at the expense of user protection, and this tragedy may accelerate calls for stricter regulations across the live-streaming industry.