Two French streamers were taken into custody on Tuesday, prosecutors said, as part of an investigation into the on-camera death of streamer Raphaël Graven in August 2025 following a 12-day marathon of abuse broadcast via the Kick platform.
The death in August 2025 of Raphael Graven live on the 200,000-follower video channel he shared with two other streamers on the Australian platform Kick shocked France and drew the ire of government ministers.
Owen Cenazandotti, 26, and Safine Hamadi, 23, have denied responsibility for 46-year-old Graven's death, which followed a 12-day live marathon of physical and verbal abuse against him in August last year.
But the two men are now being held on charges including assault, incitement to hatred, abuse of a vulnerable person and recording and broadcasting violent images, said Nice prosecutor Damien Martinelli.
Investigators probe death of French streamer broadcast live
Prosecutors first opened an investigation against the group in December 2024, months before Graven's death, when they encountered footage of him being insulted and struck, having his hair pulled and being shot with paintball guns.
'Trash streaming'
Graven – known online as Jean Pormanove, or JP – had built a following on the platform by participating in live "trash streaming", in which he was physically assaulted or humiliated as viewers watched live and sometimes donated money.
All three streamers were then held in January last year but released after they insisted the on-screen violence was all part of "an act aimed at creating buzz so as to earn money".
Graven died on 18 August during a livestream in which he was struck and insulted by his younger colleagues, though an autopsy has since ruled out "intervention by a third party" playing a role in his death.
Ministers in August announced separate legal action against the Kick platform, which is also under investigation by Paris prosecutors.
(with AFP)
