Footballers Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bradley Barcola are linked to the death of French streamer Raphael Graven, known as Jean Pormanove. Graven’s death, initially attributed to torture during a livestream, is now under investigation.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has found himself at the center of a shocking scandal in France after the death of popular streamer Raphael Graven, known online as Jean Pormanove.
Graven, a well-known figure on Twitch, was discovered dead in a residence in Contes, a small village north of Nice, on Monday. Reports from French media claim his death came under harrowing circumstances, with allegations that he endured up to ten days of abuse before passing away.
According to outlets in France, Graven’s on-stream “challenges” had escalated into extreme acts that left him beaten, tortured, deprived of sleep, and allegedly forced to ingest toxic substances. Liberation newspaper reported on Thursday that professional footballers Aubameyang and Bradley Barcola were among those spotted during one of the livestreams linked to the incident.
At this stage, Aubameyang has not made any public comment regarding the matter.
High-profile footballers have become entangled in a disturbing controversy following the death of French streaming personality Raphael Graven, better known online as Jean Pormanove.
The 46-year-old content creator was found dead on Monday at his residence in Contes, a small village outside Nice and now the fallout is spilling into the world of football.
Footballers Linked to Broadcast
Former Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Paris Saint-Germain forward Bradley Barcola were both seen on video during a controversial live broadcast that preceded Graven’s death.
Both players had shared messages of support that appeared on the stream-though the timing and context of their involvement is now under heavy scrutiny following reports that Graven endured alarming “challenges” during his content.
While Aubameyang has so far chosen not to comment, Barcola’s representatives have moved quickly to clarify his position. They confirmed that the footage of the PSG forward was filmed weeks earlier, at the start of August, and was later broadcast on the night of the tragedy without his consent.
“Bradley was in no way present live that evening,” said his camp in a statement to L’Équipe. His team added that Barcola had been among the first to publicly react to Graven’s death, offering condolences and sharing his grief. The forward had previously donated a match shirt and contributed £850 to one of Graven’s charitable fundraisers.
Initial Reports vs Autopsy Findings
Early speculation in France claimed that Graven had died after “ten days of torture” involving sleep deprivation, force-feeding, ingestion of toxic products and physical abuse. Those claims sparked outrage and pointed fingers at a grim subset of so-called “humiliation streams”, where creators allegedly endure extreme mistreatment in exchange for viewer donations.
However, results from a post-mortem examination released on Thursday painted a more complex picture. Nice prosecutor Damien Martinelli confirmed the autopsy found no traumatic injuries, only minor bruising and healed lesions from earlier incidents.
“The probable causes of death appear to be medical and/or toxicological,” Martinelli said. Additional toxicology tests are under way, given reports that Graven suffered cardiac problems and was receiving treatment for thyroid issues.
This official ruling significantly contradicts earlier sensational reports of torture but does not erase concerns over the abusive nature of content produced in parts of the French online streaming scene.
Dark Side of “Humiliation Streams”
Graven had been frequently featured in broadcasts hosted by streamers Owen Cenazandotti and Safine Hamadi, where participants were allegedly subjected to extreme challenges such as slapping, strangulation, paintball attacks, and sleep deprivation — all while audiences donated money to keep the abuse going.
Reports suggest that the stream in question raised more than £31,000 from viewers, incentivized by escalating humiliation and mistreatment.
The platform Kick, which hosted the streams, has since moved to ban all accounts connected to the broadcast, pledging to investigate the incident and reassess its entire content moderation policy in France.
The scandal has triggered intense backlash in France, both on social media and politically. Clara Chappaz, the nation’s minister for digital affairs, condemned the events as an “absolute horror” and urged tech platforms to implement stronger protections for vulnerable content creators.
“This tragedy highlights unacceptable practices online. Platforms must act,” she declared.
Scandal That Won’t Fade Quickly
For now, the spotlight remains on Aubameyang and Barcola, whose names have been drawn into the controversy by their appearances in the stream. While Barcola has strongly distanced himself from claims of involvement, Aubameyang has yet to break his silence — ensuring speculation continues to swirl.