Ecstasy pills shaped like former U.S. President Barack Obama are at the center of explosive testimony in the ongoing federal trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs, as prosecutors allege the rapper engaged in a two-decade pattern of sex trafficking and drug-fueled coercion. Testimony from David James, Combs' former assistant, has linked the hip-hop mogul to a growing dark web trade in pills molded to resemble celebrities and political figures, including Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Taylor Swift.
"It was late, maybe 2am," James told a Manhattan federal court about one encounter during his employment with Combs between 2007 and 2009. "He just popped it, smiled, and said it was going to be a long night." James confirmed the pill in question was "a blue pill" shaped like Obama's face.
The revelation is part of broader testimony implicating Combs in orchestrating so-called "Freak Off" parties, described by prosecutors as multi-day sex and drug binges involving coerced women, male sex workers, and an entourage of staff responsible for managing logistics and sourcing narcotics. Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering.
David James also told the court he purchased cocaine and ecstasy for Combs or his associates, and regularly restocked hotel rooms with items including baby oil and lubricant. Reimbursements were allegedly processed in cash by Bad Boy Entertainment to avoid documentation. "A personal assistant's job is to take care of" the client and his friends, James testified, describing a culture of unchecked indulgence and surveillance. He recalled that Combs always had a videographer at his parties.
The use of pills shaped like Obama and other public figures is more than an eccentric detail-it reflects a disturbing marketing trend on the dark web, according to cybercrime investigators monitoring encrypted drug markets. "This isn't some novelty - it's branding on a massive scale to shift deadly drugs," one investigator said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Obama pills, Trump Tabs, and even Taylor Swift-shaped MDMA are all over the dark net."
According to the expert, the pills are often counterfeit or dangerously adulterated. "We are finding all sorts in them, from bleach to glass, when they are analyzed," he said. The so-called 'elite pills,' especially those tied to celebrity culture, serve as both status symbols and psychological bait. "When someone like Combs has apparently been using an Obama pill, it signals status - and these become 'elite' pills," the investigator explained.
Another analyst warned that many of these pills contain methamphetamine or fentanyl instead of MDMA, posing lethal risks to users unaware of their contents. Listings on dark web marketplaces reference products like "Obama Hope," "Presidential Power," and "Make America High Again." "Users think they're funny and ironic, but have no idea what they're actually taking," the expert added.
James further testified to witnessing disturbing scenes during his time with Combs, including entering a hotel room in Miami in 2008 where Casandra "Cassie" Ventura-Combs' then-girlfriend-was asleep with an unknown naked man while Combs was in the shower. James said he did not question the encounter.
Ventura, 38, previously testified that she was coerced into participating in the so-called Freak Off sessions for over a decade and was later blackmailed with footage from those events. Combs' defense team has acknowledged drug use and prior abusive conduct but maintains that all sexual activity was consensual.
Combs, once a dominant figure in music and business, has remained in federal custody since his arrest in September 2024. The trial continues as prosecutors build their case around a web of celebrity excess, psychological control, and an underground drug culture now emerging into public view.
