How ‘10 days and nights of torture’ challenge led to French influencer’s death on livestream

In a tragic turn of events, French influencer Jean Pormanove lost his life at just 46 while live-streaming a series of extreme challenges that lasted for 10 days.

Jean, whose real name was Raphael Graven, was widely known for his daring IRL broadcasts and marathon sessions online. On the morning of August 18, he tragically died on camera at his rented home in Contes, France, bringing his final stream to an unfortunate end.

News of his sudden passing sent shockwaves through France’s online community. Both fans and authorities are now raising serious concerns about the dangerous streaming culture that seemed to push him beyond human limits.

Here’s what we know so far about Jean Pormanove’s story.

What was the ‘10 days and nights of torture’ challenge?

Jean had taken on what viewers came to call the “10 days and nights of torture” challenge, a livestream that dragged on for nearly 300 hours non-stop.

According to French news outlet BFMTV, the ordeal involved “extreme” physical violence, “sleep deprivation”, and even “the ingestion of toxic products”.

Before his death, Jean was allegedly subjected to repeated violence on stream. His past content already showed worrying patterns: he was slapped, spat on, strangled, and had objects hurled at him, often framed as part of the “challenge” or for audience amusement.

French newspaper Le Monde reported that Jean, who had once served as a soldier, was routinely beaten and humiliated by two fellow influencers, Naruto and Safine. In several clips, they were seen throwing objects at him, forcing food into his mouth while he was tied up, and even shooting him with a paintball gun.

🚨🇫🇷 ALERTE INFO | Le streameur Raphaël Graven, alias Jean Pormanove, est mort dans son sommeil alors qu’il était en direct. pic.twitter.com/3n3u6Ex1SD

— Impact (@ImpactMediaFR) August 18, 2025

Naruto and Safine were taken into custody in January 2025 on suspicion of violence against vulnerable people – before being released.

A few days before the end, Jean left a chilling message for his mother. He told her he felt like he was “being held hostage” and admitted he was “fed up” with the streaming.

For around four years, Jean had been running similar “humiliation livestreams” that attracted a steady audience online. With over a million followers across his social media platforms and a particularly strong community on Kick, Jean had built a name for himself in the world of streaming.

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Jean’s tragic passing

On the morning of August 18, Jean’s final marathon stream came to a devastating end.

In the video, Jean and the other streamers were lying on mattresses. When they began to wake up, they realised something was wrong, he was not responding. One viewer even claimed to have seen a man throw a water bottle at him, but Jean remained motionless. Moments later, the livestream was cut off.

His co-creator Naruto later confirmed the news on Instagram, urging people not to circulate the disturbing clips from that morning. “I ask you all to respect his memory and not share the video of his last breath in his sleep,” he wrote.

Clara Chappaz, France’s minister of digital affairs, described the incident as an “absolute horror.”

“The death of Jean Pormanove and the violence he endured are an absolute horror. I extend my deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. Jean Pormanove was humiliated and mistreated for months live on the Kick platform. A judicial investigation is underway. I have referred the matter to Arcom and made a report on Pharos. I have also contacted the platform’s management to obtain explanations,” she wrote on X.

Chappaz emphasised that online platforms cannot ignore their legal responsibilities: “The responsibility of online platforms regarding the dissemination of illicit content is not optional: it is the law. This type of failure can lead to the worst and has no place in France, Europe, or anywhere else.”

Streaming platform under fire

Jean’s death has triggered urgent concerns about online safety, cyberbullying, and the lack of rules around extreme livestreaming in France.

Sarah El Hairy, France’s high commissioner for children, called the incident “horrifying” in a statement on social media.

“Platforms have an immense responsibility in regulating online content so that our children are not exposed to violent content. I call on parents to exercise the utmost vigilance,” she wrote.

The streaming platform Kick has since said it is “urgently reviewing” its community guidelines. A spokesperson told the BBC that the site was “committed to upholding these standards across our platform.”

Kick’s own terms of service already forbid content involving self-harm, excessive violence, or anything illegal, yet critics argue those rules were clearly not enforced.

With input from agencies