Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs ‘popped Barack Obama-shaped drugs'
Sean 'Diddy' Combs allegedly popped Barack Obama-shaped drugs,
The 55-year-old music mogul is on trial in New York on federal charges including sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution – all of which he denies – and faced the pills allegation during another day of testimony during his court proceedings on Tuesday. (20.05.25)
AS well as making the Obama drugs allegation, Combs' former personal assistant told the court the rapper kept a Louis Vuitton pouch of pills by his side at all times during the height of his career.
David James told jurors about Combs' alleged drug use: 'There were various pills but one was in the form of a former president's face.
'They were Obama-shaped ecstasy pills.'
David, 45, worked for Combs between 2007 and 2009 and told the court his duties included booking hotel rooms under the name 'Frank Black' – a pseudonym Combs apparently used for both travel and prescriptions.
He testified he stocked his boss' rooms with applesauce, Jello, Fiji water and Ciroc vodka.
Inside the toiletry bag – referred to as a 'med bag' by previous witnesses Cassie Ventura and Dawn Richard – David said he regularly found pills including Viagra, Percocet, weight loss pills, water pills and what he described as 'sperm booster' pills.
'He took drugs every day,' David added.
He also admitted he occasionally joined in on the partying, describing his experience drinking Ciroc and taking ecstasy as 'Diddy-bopping'.
The assistant also told jurors Combs kept a video of him dancing at a party, which he described as 'embarrassing', suggesting it might be used 'in case he ever needs it'.
Combs' ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, 37, who dated the rapper for a decade, last week testified 'Frank Black' was the name Combs used during what he called 'freak-offs' – drug-fuelled sex marathons allegedly involving hired escorts and coercion.
Cassie testified Combs forced her to take part in these encounters weekly for years, often using up to ten bottles of baby oil during each session.
The jury were shown photos of the raided hotel room on Friday (16.05.25), which were released to the public on Monday (19.05.25) as the second week of the trial commenced.
That same day, jurors were presented with graphic images of injuries Cassie claimed she sustained at Combs' hands.
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The Advertiser
12 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Diddy's ex-assistant bought drugs, set up sex parties
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' former personal assistant hasa testified at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial that he often bought drugs for his boss and set up hotel rooms for sex parties known as "wild king nights." Prosecutors hope Friday's testimony by Brendan Paul, who worked for Combs from late 2022 through March 2024, will help them prove their racketeering conspiracy charge against Combs. Prosecutors say Combs used his businesses' resources to coerce women into ecstasy-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to all five criminal counts. His lawyers call the sexual activity consensual. The Bad Boy Records founder, a former billionaire who elevated hip-hop in American culture, could face life in prison if convicted. Prosecutors are winding down their case after six weeks, with defence witnesses expected to testify next week. Paul, testifying under immunity from prosecutors, said he bought Combs about $US4200 ($A6500) of marijuana and hundreds of dollars of ketamine during his employment. Jurors saw a text message in which Paul asked Combs' security staff to be reimbursed for his drug purchases. They also saw a February 14, 2024 text message in which Combs wrote "You get me zans," which Paul said was a request to procure Xanax without a prescription. Paul said Combs ultimately obtained Xanax elsewhere, and used cocaine and ecstasy in his presence. Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Brian Steel, Paul said procuring drugs was a minor part of his job, and he thought the drugs were solely for Combs' personal use. "You were not some drug mule?" Steel asked. "Absolutely not," Paul said. Paul also said that before three or four "wild king nights," he stocked hotel rooms with lubricant, baby oil, liquor and a Gucci pouch filled with hard drugs. When Combs was done, Paul said he would put on gloves and clean up to avoid being billed by hotels for damage. Paul said he was charged with cocaine possession after being arrested on March 25, 2024, at Miami-Opa Locka airport in Florida while traveling to the Bahamas with Combs and other staffers. He said he put the cocaine in his bag after finding it while cleaning Combs' room that day, but forgot about it and did not tell law enforcement where it came from. Asked by prosecutor Christy Slavik why he kept silent, Paul said, "Loyalty." Paul said the cocaine charge was dropped. Sean 'Diddy' Combs' former personal assistant hasa testified at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial that he often bought drugs for his boss and set up hotel rooms for sex parties known as "wild king nights." Prosecutors hope Friday's testimony by Brendan Paul, who worked for Combs from late 2022 through March 2024, will help them prove their racketeering conspiracy charge against Combs. Prosecutors say Combs used his businesses' resources to coerce women into ecstasy-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to all five criminal counts. His lawyers call the sexual activity consensual. The Bad Boy Records founder, a former billionaire who elevated hip-hop in American culture, could face life in prison if convicted. Prosecutors are winding down their case after six weeks, with defence witnesses expected to testify next week. Paul, testifying under immunity from prosecutors, said he bought Combs about $US4200 ($A6500) of marijuana and hundreds of dollars of ketamine during his employment. Jurors saw a text message in which Paul asked Combs' security staff to be reimbursed for his drug purchases. They also saw a February 14, 2024 text message in which Combs wrote "You get me zans," which Paul said was a request to procure Xanax without a prescription. Paul said Combs ultimately obtained Xanax elsewhere, and used cocaine and ecstasy in his presence. Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Brian Steel, Paul said procuring drugs was a minor part of his job, and he thought the drugs were solely for Combs' personal use. "You were not some drug mule?" Steel asked. "Absolutely not," Paul said. Paul also said that before three or four "wild king nights," he stocked hotel rooms with lubricant, baby oil, liquor and a Gucci pouch filled with hard drugs. When Combs was done, Paul said he would put on gloves and clean up to avoid being billed by hotels for damage. Paul said he was charged with cocaine possession after being arrested on March 25, 2024, at Miami-Opa Locka airport in Florida while traveling to the Bahamas with Combs and other staffers. He said he put the cocaine in his bag after finding it while cleaning Combs' room that day, but forgot about it and did not tell law enforcement where it came from. Asked by prosecutor Christy Slavik why he kept silent, Paul said, "Loyalty." Paul said the cocaine charge was dropped. Sean 'Diddy' Combs' former personal assistant hasa testified at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial that he often bought drugs for his boss and set up hotel rooms for sex parties known as "wild king nights." Prosecutors hope Friday's testimony by Brendan Paul, who worked for Combs from late 2022 through March 2024, will help them prove their racketeering conspiracy charge against Combs. Prosecutors say Combs used his businesses' resources to coerce women into ecstasy-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to all five criminal counts. His lawyers call the sexual activity consensual. The Bad Boy Records founder, a former billionaire who elevated hip-hop in American culture, could face life in prison if convicted. Prosecutors are winding down their case after six weeks, with defence witnesses expected to testify next week. Paul, testifying under immunity from prosecutors, said he bought Combs about $US4200 ($A6500) of marijuana and hundreds of dollars of ketamine during his employment. Jurors saw a text message in which Paul asked Combs' security staff to be reimbursed for his drug purchases. They also saw a February 14, 2024 text message in which Combs wrote "You get me zans," which Paul said was a request to procure Xanax without a prescription. Paul said Combs ultimately obtained Xanax elsewhere, and used cocaine and ecstasy in his presence. Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Brian Steel, Paul said procuring drugs was a minor part of his job, and he thought the drugs were solely for Combs' personal use. "You were not some drug mule?" Steel asked. "Absolutely not," Paul said. Paul also said that before three or four "wild king nights," he stocked hotel rooms with lubricant, baby oil, liquor and a Gucci pouch filled with hard drugs. When Combs was done, Paul said he would put on gloves and clean up to avoid being billed by hotels for damage. Paul said he was charged with cocaine possession after being arrested on March 25, 2024, at Miami-Opa Locka airport in Florida while traveling to the Bahamas with Combs and other staffers. He said he put the cocaine in his bag after finding it while cleaning Combs' room that day, but forgot about it and did not tell law enforcement where it came from. Asked by prosecutor Christy Slavik why he kept silent, Paul said, "Loyalty." Paul said the cocaine charge was dropped. Sean 'Diddy' Combs' former personal assistant hasa testified at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial that he often bought drugs for his boss and set up hotel rooms for sex parties known as "wild king nights." 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They also saw a February 14, 2024 text message in which Combs wrote "You get me zans," which Paul said was a request to procure Xanax without a prescription. Paul said Combs ultimately obtained Xanax elsewhere, and used cocaine and ecstasy in his presence. Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Brian Steel, Paul said procuring drugs was a minor part of his job, and he thought the drugs were solely for Combs' personal use. "You were not some drug mule?" Steel asked. "Absolutely not," Paul said. Paul also said that before three or four "wild king nights," he stocked hotel rooms with lubricant, baby oil, liquor and a Gucci pouch filled with hard drugs. When Combs was done, Paul said he would put on gloves and clean up to avoid being billed by hotels for damage. Paul said he was charged with cocaine possession after being arrested on March 25, 2024, at Miami-Opa Locka airport in Florida while traveling to the Bahamas with Combs and other staffers. He said he put the cocaine in his bag after finding it while cleaning Combs' room that day, but forgot about it and did not tell law enforcement where it came from. Asked by prosecutor Christy Slavik why he kept silent, Paul said, "Loyalty." Paul said the cocaine charge was dropped.
Perth Now
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Diddy's ex-assistant bought drugs, set up sex parties
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Three men accused of running a multimillion-dollar fake luxury goods empire have been bailed after a lawyer's extraordinary claim governments may be complicit by receiving tax on their sales. Brothers Ahmad Kase Siddiqi, 30, and Ahmad Jawade Siddiqi, 33, as well as Shadi Skaf, 30, have been charged over the sale of everything from counterfeit Rolex watches to Cartier bracelets and Louis Vuitton bags. When police raided their homes on Wednesday, they seized high-end cars including a Mercedes AMG and Lamborghinis. But as a bail hearing resumed on Friday the trio's lawyers maintained it was unclear what crime the accused men had committed. The federal government might be "aiding and abetting" or "conspiring" with the men by taking their income tax, Jawade Siddiqi's barrister Steven Boland alleged. While police have said the scheme netted about $9.75 million in profits, that figure came from bank records stretching back to 2017. 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She found issues surrounding the date range of the alleged offending, along with what type of offence underpinned their dealing with proceeds of crime charges. Bail conditions included paying a $50,000 surety, reporting to a police station twice a day, not using social media and not associating with one another. During their raids earlier this week, officers confiscated a cache of more than 500 counterfeit luxury items, such as handbags, sneakers and watches - all imported from China - across three sites. More than $250,000 in cash and a gel blaster firearm were also seized. Fake watches of "extremely good quality" that resembled genuine articles worth more than $20,000 were sold to customers for $800 apiece, police said. Police allege more than one of the trio was receiving Centrelink payments while benefiting from the proceeds of their crimes. The allegedly tainted assets were now under the control of the NSW Crime Commission, its executive director said. Three men accused of running a multimillion-dollar fake luxury goods empire have been bailed after a lawyer's extraordinary claim governments may be complicit by receiving tax on their sales. Brothers Ahmad Kase Siddiqi, 30, and Ahmad Jawade Siddiqi, 33, as well as Shadi Skaf, 30, have been charged over the sale of everything from counterfeit Rolex watches to Cartier bracelets and Louis Vuitton bags. When police raided their homes on Wednesday, they seized high-end cars including a Mercedes AMG and Lamborghinis. But as a bail hearing resumed on Friday the trio's lawyers maintained it was unclear what crime the accused men had committed. The federal government might be "aiding and abetting" or "conspiring" with the men by taking their income tax, Jawade Siddiqi's barrister Steven Boland alleged. While police have said the scheme netted about $9.75 million in profits, that figure came from bank records stretching back to 2017. 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