A French streamer whose co-host died during a controversial live broadcast has denied any role in the tragedy, amid mounting scrutiny of online stunt culture and a legal battle between the French government and streaming platform Kick.
“I’m not the one who killed him. None of us killed him,” 23-year-old Safine Hamadi told broadcaster RTL on Monday.
Hamadi had co-hosted the Kick channel that, in mid-August, broadcast the sudden death of 46-year-old streamer Raphael Graven, better known by his alias Jean Pormanove.
An autopsy ordered by prosecutors in Nice ruled out “intervention by a third party” in Graven’s death.
‘Everything Was Consensual’
Hamadi rejected claims that Graven suffered abuse during the 12-day marathon live stream, which showed him subjected to humiliation and physical confrontations.
“I wasn’t mistreating him, not at all,” Hamadi insisted. “Everything was consensual. We wanted it to be spectacular — his reactions were exaggerated to create buzz, get people talking, and make content go viral.”
He said both he and Graven were being paid €6,000 ($7,040) per month as “actors” by the channel’s operator, Owen Cenazandotti.
Authorities launched an investigation into the broadcasts in late 2024 after media reports raised concerns about violence and exploitation. Hamadi and Cenazandotti were taken into custody but later released without charges.
Prosecutors said both Graven and another participant had “strongly denied” being victims of real violence, confirming that the clashes were scripted performances.
Government Targets Kick
Despite those denials, the French government last week announced legal action against Kick, accusing the Australia-based platform of “negligence” over Graven’s death.
Kick fired back, accusing ministers of exploiting the case for “political opportunism.” Meanwhile, Paris prosecutors have opened a separate investigation into the platform itself.
The case has reignited debate in France over the ethics of extreme online stunts, the blurred line between performance and abuse, and the accountability of streaming platforms that profit from sensational content.
