Two Streamers Convicted In France Over Abuse Of Raphaël Graven

Nice Court Convicts Two Streamers Following Abuse Investigation

A French correctional tribunal has handed down suspended prison terms, fines, and a six-month digital ban to two video creators implicated in an ongoing investigation surrounding the death of French streamer Raphaël Graven, known online as Jean Pormanove or JP. Graven, 46, died in August 2025 in a village near Nice while his livestream ran on the streaming platform Kick.

The court convicted Owen Cenazandotti, 27, and Safine Hamadi for acts of aggravated violence in a group and provocation to hatred. The offenses took place during the year leading up to Graven’s death, targeting both Graven and another individual, according to ladepeche.fr. Cenazandotti, who used the online alias Naruto, received a two-year suspended prison sentence alongside a €15,000 fine. Hamadi received an 18-month suspended prison sentence and a €5,000 fine.

Separating Online Abuse from the Cause of Death

Neither man faced manslaughter charges in connection with Graven’s death. Prosecutors determined that the primary causes of death appeared linked to the victim’s fragile heart and poor health, according to British broadcasting coverage of the verdict. An autopsy-related inquiry into Graven’s death was classified without further action in February after public shock over his body being discovered on a livestream wrapped in a duvet.

The tribunal also acquitted both defendants of abusing psychological frailty. Lawyers for the defense argued during the proceedings that Graven had consented to the stunts and humiliation featured in his broadcasts, noted legal representatives speaking to reporters. The court further ruled that the creators could not be categorized as diffuseurs au sens juridique du terme—broadcasters in the legal sense—leading to their acquittal on charges of diffusing violent images, as detailed in the local press account.

Contrasting Sentences Against Prosecution Demands

The sentences delivered by the Nice tribunal fell well short of what the public ministry sought during the trial held in July 2025. For Hamadi, the prosecution urged an 18-month probatory suspended sentence, a €15,000 fine, and a similar permanent ban from digital platforms, documents and trial reports show.

Nice Court Convicts Two French Streamers Over Kick Livestream Abuse

Defense representation acknowledged the relief of avoiding prison time while maintaining the penalties remained excessive for what they characterized as comedic staging. Legal counsel Fabien Carles argued that the defendants were entertainers who pushed boundaries rather than criminals, reported regional outlets tracking the defense arguments.

“Ces gens-là étaient des amuseurs qui allaient parfois trop loin mais les juger comme des criminels est fortement exagéré.”

Me Fabien Carles, defense lawyer for Owen Cenazandotti

Audience Scale, Revenue, and Platform Scrutiny

During the courtroom hearings, prosecutors detailed how the channel drew peak viewership averaging 20,000 users nightly between 9 p.m. and midnight, establishing it as the most-watched French channel on Kick, according to detailed courtroom summaries. The broadcast involved physical slaps, kicks, whip strikes, and verbal abuse directed at Graven and another participant, Stéphane G., known as Coudoux.

Financial disclosures during the case revealed the channel generated monthly earnings reaching up to €6,000 or higher for its primary host. Prosecutors characterized the broadcasts not as isolated stunts, but as an organized system of human maltreatment where les violences sont le programme, elles font le scénario, testified the public prosecutor during arguments.

While authorities continue separate investigations in Paris into Kick’s monetization practices and supervisory response to the channel, the platform itself distanced its corporate operations from the individual defendants. In a statement provided to the New York Times, Kick stated that it was not a party to the proceedings, noted the corporate response covered in international updates.

“The ruling relates solely to two individual content creators.”

Kick, via statement to the New York Times

The company further emphasized that the legal outcomes for these specific individuals do not reflect the operational policies or corporate standards of the streaming platform.