Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs allegedly carried around pills in the shape of former President Barack Obama’s face, according to trial testimony
As week 3 of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking and racketeering trial begins, multiple celebrities have already been name-dropped during testimony.
Usher, former President Barack Obama, Biggie Smalls and Jennifer Lopez are a few A-list names that came up during testimony as Diddy’s jury heard from his former assistants, ex-associates and his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura.
Diddy’s trial began May 5 with jury selection. Opening statements were presented on May 12, and the disgraced music mogul appeared in court to sit through testimony from Cassie, her mother, former Homeland Security Investigations agents, plus singers Dawn Richard and Kid Cudi.a
Former President Barack Obama
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former assistant, David James, testified on May 20 that the rapper typically carried “25 to 30” undisclosed pill bottles. According to James, some of the pills were ecstasy.
“Can you describe the ecstasy that you saw him taking?” Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Slavik asked.
“There were various pills, but there was one that was in the shape of a former president’s face,” James explained.
“Which former president?” the prosecutor questioned.
“President Obama,” James answered.
Usher
Former Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard testified that Usher was at a dinner where Sean “Diddy” Combs allegedly punched Cassie Ventura in the stomach.
“We were having a private conversation, and we were all sitting, eating at the tables together,” Richard recalled during her testimony. “When I say we, I mean some Bad Boy, some of our other label, and even some celebrities were in the room. And they were secretly arguing, and he punched her in the stomach. Sean Combs punched her in the stomach.”
“She immediately bent over and then was – he was – he told her to leave because I could see him point out, and she went out and left the room,” she added.
Richard claimed music executive Harve Pierre, two of Diddy’s assistants, the rapper’s security and Kaleena Harper were present for the West Hollywood dinner. During cross-examination, it was revealed that Richard hadn’t mentioned all of the celebrities at the dinner.
“Usher was there, Jimmy Iovine was there, Ne-Yo came through,” Richard eventually added. “There were a few others, too. I don’t recall those people, but those are the ones I remember talking to.”
Kid Cudi
Kid Cudi was first mentioned in Cassie Ventura’s testimony on May 14, when she said Sean “Diddy” Combs had allegedly gone through her phone at a “freak off” and found an email correspondence between her and the rapper.
Cassie and Cudi, whose full name is Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi, dated in 2011 when she was on a break in her relationship with Diddy.
Cudi took the stand May 22 and testified about an alleged break-in that occurred at his home the day Diddy found out the “Pursuit of Happiness” singer was dating Cassie Ventura. According to Cudi, his car was set on fire a month later.
“I reached out to Sean Combs after my car had caught fire and … finally told him that we needed to meet up to talk,” Cudi testified. “He had been wanting to talk to me. So, after the fire, I was like, ‘This is getting out of hand/ I need to talk to him.’”
“Why was it Mr. Combs you reached out to after the fire?” Cudi was asked in court.
“Because I knew he had something to do with it,” Cudi claimed before Judge Arun Subramanian sustained an objection from Diddy’s defense. The jury was then instructed to disregard the musician’s last answer.
Diddy was never charged in the investigation into the alleged break-in or car fire.
The Notorious B.I.G.
Biggie Smalls, or Christopher George Latore Wallace, has been mentioned a few times in Diddy’s sex trafficking trial. Biggie was killed in a drive-by shooting at age 24 in 1997.
During the testimony of Diddy’s former assistant, George Kaplan, it was revealed that the music mogul used the name “Frank Black” when booking his hotel reservations.
James also revealed that Diddy used the name “Frank Black” when booking his hotel reservations.
“I think it was a reference to Biggie,” Kaplan told the jury before adding, “I think that [Biggie’s] nickname was Frank White.”
Kaplan also testified that May 21 was a paid holiday for employees at Combs Enterprises because it was Biggie’s birthday.
Dawn Richard
Rihanna and Jennifer Lopez
Michael B. Jordan
Suge Knight
Britney Spears
Prince
