During hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ongoing federal trial for sex trafficking and racketeering, former assistant David James testified to the music mogul’s extensive drug use. James claimed Combs took ecstasy pills shaped like former President Barack Obama’s face. The assistant described finding 25 to 30 pill bottles in Combs’ toiletry bag during hotel stays. The mogul’s bag contained substances like Percocet, Viagra, and weight loss supplements. According to an expert, pills shaped like celebrities have been on the rise since 2015. Here’s what to know.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ alleged pills with celebrity faces have been on the rise for years, an expert says
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial paints the mogul in a negative light. His alleged drug use has come under intense scrutiny amid explosive courtroom testimony. According to former employees and witnesses, Diddy routinely consumed a cocktail of substances, including ecstasy, Percocet, and even pills reportedly shaped like former President Barack Obama’s face. These revelations paint a picture of a lifestyle deeply entangled with excess and control, where drug use reportedly played a central role in orchestrated parties and power dynamics.
A cybercrime investigator spoke to RadarOnline about the prevalence of illicit drugs shaped like celebrity faces. “This isn’t some novelty — it’s branding on a massive scale to shift deadly drugs,” they said. “Obama pills, Trump Tabs, and even Taylor Swift-shaped MDMA are all over the dark net. Dealers are using faces people know to push dangerous drugs, and it’s working.”
The investigator noted that the pills were “utterly deadly” and often laced with anything from “bleach to glass” when analyzed.
“We’ve seen a rise in pills pressed with famous faces since around 2015, and they’re often sold with names like ‘Obama Hope’, ‘Presidential Power,’ or even ‘Make America High Again’ in reference to Trump’s slogan,” a second expert noted. While users think these names are “funny and ironic,” the dealers “don’t care if those buying them live or die.”
Casandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura testified that Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs had a drug addiction
Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, former partner of Sean “Diddy” Combs, has publicly detailed the mogul’s alleged substance abuse during their relationship. During her testimony in Combs’ federal sex trafficking trial, Ventura described him as an “addict. She stated, “He needed to recover,” and noted that his withdrawal symptoms often led to irritability, according to NBC News.
Ventura also recounted being coerced into participating in “freak-offs” — extended sexual encounters with male sex workers — while under the influence of drugs, including ecstasy and GHB. She alleged that these events sometimes lasted up to three days.
During her cross-examination, Ventura was asked whether Combs ever overdosed. She said he did. Ventura also noted that she fell into drug addiction as well.
The hip-hop mogul’s employees allegedly carried ‘pink cocaine,’ or ‘tuci’
Sean “Diddy” Combs has been accused of maintaining a pervasive drug culture within his inner circle, centered around the use of “pink cocaine,” a synthetic party drug known as “tuci.” Tuci is a combination of MDMA (ecstasy) and ketamine. Its use has been linked to serious health risks, including seizures and cardiac arrest.
According to a lawsuit filed by producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, Combs allegedly required his employees, including housekeepers, chefs, and butlers, to carry a mix of substances. The complaint further claims that when Combs desired tuci, his assistant would contact rapper Yung Miami to transport the drug via private jet.
How to get help: In the U.S., call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to connect with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.
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