French Man Dies After Livestreaming Abuse and Violence
In a shocking turn of events, an investigation has been launched in France following the death of a 46-year-old man who live-streamed himself being abused and subjected to violence.
Raphael Graven, also known as Jean Pormanove or JP online, was a notorious figure in the world of extreme challenges, amassing a following of over 1 million people on various social media platforms, including the live-streaming service Kick.
Tragically, Graven passed away on Monday at a property in the village of Contes, near Nice, reportedly after enduring 10 days of violence and sleep deprivation during his streams.
Disturbing footage circulating on social media depicted several men physically assaulting and strangling Graven. In a particularly chilling clip, the men realized that Graven was unresponsive while lying on a mattress, prompting them to abruptly end the broadcast. The authenticity of these videos could not be independently verified by Euronews.
French officials, including Clara Chappaz, the country’s digital affairs and AI minister, expressed shock and horror at the circumstances surrounding Graven’s death.
“The death of Jean Pormanove and the brutality he endured are nothing short of a nightmare,” Chappaz stated. “He was subjected to humiliation and mistreatment for months on the Kick platform. A thorough judicial investigation is currently underway.”
Sarah El Haïry, France’s high commissioner for children, echoed these sentiments, calling the incident “horrifying” and emphasizing the crucial role that online platforms play in safeguarding users, especially children.
Kick, the live-streaming service implicated in the tragedy, expressed deep sorrow over Graven’s passing and pledged to conduct an urgent review of the events leading up to his death.
“We are devastated by the loss of Jean Pormanove and offer our heartfelt condolences to his loved ones and the entire community,” a spokesperson for Kick conveyed. “Our community guidelines are designed to protect creators, and we are steadfast in upholding these standards throughout our platform.”
Many social media users drew comparisons between Pormanove’s demise and an episode from the popular British anthology series Black Mirror, where a man engages in self-harm on a live-streaming platform to raise funds for his sick wife’s treatment.
