Kick has responded to the death of French streamer Jean Pormanove by banning co-streamers involved in his controversial broadcasts.

On August 18, 46-year-old Raphaël Graven, better known online as Jean Pormanove, died in his sleep while streaming on Kick.

In the days leading up to his death, he was reportedly subjected to “ten days and nights of torture” from fellow streamers Naruto and Safine. The alleged abuse included extreme violence, sleep deprivation, and forced ingestion of toxic products.

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A day later, French authorities opened a judicial investigation. Clara Chappaz, France’s minister for digital affairs and AI, said Pormanove had been “humiliated and mistreated for months live on Kick” and criticized the platform’s lack of intervention.

Viral clips circulating on social media show Pormanove being hit, strangled, and shot at with paintball guns while live on stream.

Instagram/jeanpormanove

Kick issues bans and launches social media review

Kick’s French account has now confirmed that all streamers who participated in the broadcasts have been banned while the company conducts its own internal investigation.

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“We are committed to fully cooperating with the authorities in this process,” the platform said.

The company also announced it had ended its collaboration with its former French social media agency after facing backlash for posts that used images of Pormanove to promote merchandise. Kick says it is conducting a full review of its French operations to prevent similar incidents.

“Our priority is to protect creators and ensure a safer environment on Kick,” the statement concluded.

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France promises justice after deadly Kick stream

The response has not silenced critics. Sarah El Haïry, France’s High Commissioner for Children, condemned Kick for failing to step in earlier.

“Platforms have an immense responsibility in regulating online content so that our children are not exposed to violent content,” she wrote on X.

Meanwhile, one of Pormanove’s accused abusers, Owen ‘Naruto’ Cenazandotti, has claimed he is now the victim of a “cyberbullying campaign.”

His lawyer announced that a complaint will be filed with the Paris Prosecutor’s Office’s cyberhate division targeting those who have harassed him since Pormanove’s death.

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Instagram/Jean Pormanove

On August 20, Minister Chappaz confirmed “an investigation is underway into the alleged actions of the streamers following reports by Mediapart, conducted by the Nice judicial police service under various charges.”

In January 2025, Naruto and Safine were briefly taken into custody on suspicion of producing livestreams that exploited vulnerable individuals. They were released the same day.

“Justice will carry out its work to advance this investigation and to clarify the tragic circumstances of Jean Pormanove’s death… All platforms have the legal responsibility to remove clearly illegal content of which they are aware,” she explained.

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“The largest platforms also have the new responsibility to combat systemic risks such as the protection of minors, public health, or the safety of individuals. Investigations are underway regarding some of them.”

Kick star Adin Ross has called for “severe consequences” following Pormanove’s death. Ross also said he had spoken with rapper Drake, and together they will cover the streamer’s funeral expenses.

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The situation has reignited long-standing concerns about Kick’s moderation policies. While the platform has made efforts to distance itself from controversial content in recent years, French officials are now demanding stronger safeguards in the wake of Pormanove’s death.

Barking and Dagenham Council will have to find more than £12 million in savings or income to balance its budget next year, it has warned.

The council says rising demand and costs for services such as social care are making it harder to fund all of its expected spending.

Council leader Dominic Twomey said the gap “will not be easy to finance”. He said the council was “striving to deliver” legally required services “against the backdrop of ever-growing demand and need that has to be met, ranging from [special educational needs], [to] temporary accommodation pressures and fly-tipping.”

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Details of the gap were presented in a report to council leaders at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

The report said that based on current spending and funding forecasts, the council faces a £12.6 million shortfall next year. It added that, without changes, this would rise to £16.8 million for the 2028-2029 financial year.

It said increasing demand and costs “are making it increasingly difficult to plan and deliver services and projects within budget”.

The report said: “Inflation is still pushing up the cost of delivering services, and rising wages are adding pressure to already stretched budgets, especially across social care and education.

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“At the same time, demand for services continues to grow, driven by population needs, the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and housing pressures. ”

It added: “In this context, local authorities are having to make tough choices.

“Balancing short-term pressures with long-term priorities means focusing on what matters most to communities, finding new ways to deliver services more efficiently, and building financial resilience in the face of continued uncertainty.”

The report said that inflation, currently at 3.8%, is being “felt most accutely” in services such as adult and children’s care packages and private sector rents.

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It also said a proposed 3.2% pay increase for council staff, negotiated nationally, was higher than the council had expected.

Labour councillor Maureen Worby, responsible for housing, told cabinet members she also expected the council to have to spend more on temporary accommodation.

Councils have a duty to house vulnerable people facing homelessness. But a rise in homelessness means many have had to spend more on renting accommodation for homeless families.

However, Cllr Twomey suggested the council may benefit from proposed changes to how the government funds local authorities. He said: “Extra funding for us looks likely based upon our significant deprivation, population growth, need and, as I keep saying, demand.”

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The cabinet was also told that the council expects to finish this year with an almost-balanced budget.

But Cllr Twomey said the council would have to “work with robust financial discipline to ensure every pound spend is done so efficiently and affectively with minimum if any waste”.

He added: “This isn’t easy against the background of continued local government pressure.”

Cabinet members voted unanimously to approve the strategy for setting next year’s budget.

A Louisiana hotel owned by a major chain has been used to hold immigrants awaiting deportation despite the company’s pledge not to do so, according to new reports.

The Intercept first reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement allegedly used a Sheraton hotel on MacArthur Drive in Alexandria earlier this month, located near a central ICE holding facility.

Edison Iza and his 15-year-old son were arrested on August 9 before reportedly being sent to the Louisiana Sheraton, along with other venues in the state and in Texas, before being deported to Ecuador five days later.

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Iza shared phone-tracking information with the publication as evidence, which The Guardian later reviewed.

The Louisiana Sheraton, which is not pictured, has allegedly been used to hold migrants since 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

A person with knowledge of the Louisiana Sherton’s operations told the British newspaper they believed the venue had been used to detain immigrant families and unaccompanied children since it was renovated in late 2023.

ICE contractors known to assist with transferring unaccompanied minors had been observed operating at the Sheraton since June, the source said. They added that other hotels in the area have also been used to hold immigrant families.

The reports appear to contradict a Marriott pledge, made during Donald Trump’s first term, that ICE would not use its hotels and properties to detain immigrants.

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It came after sources told ABC News in July 2019 that the Trump administration had internally discussed the possibility of using hotel rooms due to limited capacity in detention centers.

“Our hotels are not configured to be detention facilities, but to be open to guests and community members as well,” a company spokesperson told the news station at the time. “While we have no particular insights into whether the U.S. government is considering the use of hotels to aid in the situation at the border, Marriott has made the decision to decline any requests to use our hotels as detention facilities.”

ICE officials used the popular hotel chain’s Louisiana premises to detain immigrants, according to two reports (Getty)

The American Historical Association, a network of professional historians, released a statement of its appreciation for Marriott’s “principled stand” and noted the importance of immigrants to the hotel and related industries.

The hospitality industry is especially susceptible to ICE raids and the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, with a high percentage of undocumented workers in the industry.

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About a third of housekeepers, a quarter of cooks, and one fifth of waitstaff employed by the U.S. hotel industry are undocumented, according to the 2023 census.

The Department of Homeland Security issued guidance earlier this year that ICE agents were not to conduct raids at hotels, restaurants, and farms, which was swiftly reversed, The Washington Post reported in June.

The Independent has contacted the Department of Homeland Security and Marriott for more information.

Image credit: Instagram / @jeanpormanove

The news of Jeanpormanove’s death has shocked the streaming community. The 46-year-old, whose real name was Raphaël Graven, passed away in a residence near Nice. His death has sparked a criminal investigation and judicial review.

Jeanpormanove passes away during marathon livestream

French streamer Raphaël Graven, known online as Jeanpormanove, has died during a marathon livestream.

The 46-year-old content creator was found dead in a house located in Contes after hosting a marathon livestream on the platform Kick. According to reports from BFMTV, Graven’s last challenge involved “ten days and nights of torture,” where he was subjected to multiple acts of violence. This included being struck, strangled, and shot with paintballs. He was also reportedly forced to drink harmful substances and deprived of sleep. (via BFMTV)

French Minister Delegate for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies, Clara Chappaz, issued a statement describing Graven’s death as an “absolute horror.” She added that the streamer had been “humiliated and mistreated for months,” while also sending her condolences to his family and loved ones.

Chappaz confirmed that the case has been referred to Arcom, the French media regulator, as well as Pharos, the government platform for reporting dangerous or illegal online material. Authorities in Nice have confirmed that a judicial inquiry has been launched, with an autopsy scheduled to determine the precise cause of death.

In response to the incident, Kick announced that it is “urgently reviewing” the events surrounding Graven’s passing. A spokesperson for the streaming service told the BBC, “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Jeanpormanove and extend our condolences to his family, friends, and community.”

Graven had built an audience of over one million followers across his various online accounts. Following news of his death, tributes poured in from fellow content creators. BFMTV reported that Graven’s online activity frequently consisted of extreme and dangerous challenges.

The post Streamer Dies During Day 10 of Marathon Livestream appeared first on Mandatory.

Raphael Graven, aka Jean Pormanove, was found by police on Monday (Instagram/@jeanpormanove)

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.

The livestream took place on the Kick.com website (Supplied)

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.

Le décès de Jean Pormanove et les violences qu’il a subies sont une horreur absolue. J’adresse toutes mes condoléances à sa famille et à ses proches.

Jean Pormanove a été humilié et maltraité pendant des mois en direct sur la plateforme Kick.

Une enquête judiciaire est en cours.… — Clara Chappaz (@ClaraChappaz) August 19, 2025

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.