Here's why Obama was briefly mentioned during Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial
According to prominent news media outlets publishing live updates from the trial, Obama's name did briefly come up during testimony on the morning of May 20 — specifically with a witness telling prosecutors that Combs' personal security once possessed Obama-shaped ecstasy pills. However, users shared inaccurate reporting about the testimony, alleging the witness instead said a "drug dealer" for Combs met with former presidents, including Obama.
Snopes contacted a representative for Obama to request comment about the trial and the inaccurate reporting, and will update this story if we receive any statements.
On May 20, The New York Times reported that David James, a former personal assistant to Combs, told Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik the music mogul's security personnel would carry a Louis Vuitton bag at all times filled with pills and cash, including an ecstasy pill shaped like Obama's face. USA Today, The Washington Post and other credible news outlets also reported the detail about the Obama-shaped ecstasy pills.
New York Post reporter Priscilla DeGregory, who was inside the Manhattan federal court, published a transcript (archived) of the exchange on the Post's live-update blog (archived):
Sean "Diddy" Combs took drugs "every day" — including sometimes downing Obama-shaped ecstasy pills, his ex-personal assistant told jurors Tuesday.
"There were various pills but one was in the form of a former president's face," Combs' one-time personal assistant David James said in Manhattan federal court of the types of ecstasy pills he saw his boss take.
"Which former president?" prosecutor Christy Slavik asked.
"President Obama," James responded.
James was named by the prosecution's star witness, R&B singer Cassie Ventura, as the Bad Boy Records founder's "trusted assistant" who helped set up "freak-offs" — depraved, drug-fueled sex romps that form the backbone of the case against Combs.
During James' testimony, a journalist for Inner City Press, also reporting from the court, published in a thread of posts (archived) on X that James had mentioned a "drug dealer" for Combs named "One Stop" (or "One-stop"). In the thread's next post, Inner City Press transcribed further testimony, possibly giving the appearance James said "One Stop" also met with former presidents, including Obama. Inner City Press has since deleted that latter post, but not before other users captured screenshots.
Numerous users on Facebook (archived), X (archived) and YouTube (archived) shared the unfounded information with screenshots of Inner City Press' deleted post.
Snopes located no further credible reports of any such testimony about James saying a drug dealer named "One Stop" met with other presidents, including Obama, nor did we find an archived link for Inner City Press' removed post.
In a direct message on X, Snopes asked Inner City Press if they deleted the post because their reporter misheard and/or misstated the comment about the Obama-shaped ecstasy pills. In response, Inner City Press founder Matthew Russell Lee indicated the quick-moving nature of live testimony led to a reporting mistake.
"The testimony is fast and furious in this trial: David James was being asked about all the people Combs met with, CEOs of beverage conglomerates, etc, and then the question quickly turned to pills (like today, pills with impression of Tesla on it)," Lee said, referencing testimony about Tesla-stamped pills. "In any event, took that tweet down."
Lee added that modern court proceedings could benefit from offering video or audio-only feeds, saying in part, "Accurate but also fast reporting of court proceedings is important. It would be better if Federal courts allowed cameras and audio (some do have audio lines these days in civil cases, including some of the immigration / deportation habeas corpus proceedings). Inner City Press pushed for as much transparency as possible." Combs' trial does not feature any live audio or video.
Combs faces charges including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution, all centered on so-called "freak-off" parties — alleged sexual marathons involving drug use and coercion. Combs pleaded not guilty; if convicted, he faces a minimum prison sentence of 15 years and a maximum of life in prison.
Cohen, Luc, and Jonathan Stempel. "Sean 'Diddy' Combs Pleads Not Guilty to Sex Trafficking; Judge Denies Bail." Reuters, 18 Sept. 2024, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/sean-diddy-combs-criminal-charges-expected-be-unveiled-ny-after-arrest-2024-09-17/.
"Ex-Assistant, Psychologist and Special Agent Testified in Sean Combs's Case." The Washington Post, 21 May 2025, https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/2025/05/21/diddy-trial-live-updates-sean-combs-witness-testimony/.
Finn, Natalie. "Sean 'Diddy' Combs Trial: Usher, Michael B. Jordan and More Celebrities Who Have Been Mentioned in Court." E! Online, 20 May 2025, https://www.eonline.com/news/1417772/sean-diddy-combs-trial-michael-b-jordan-usher-more-named-in-court.
Jacobs, Shayna. "Witnesses Testify on Cassie Ventura, Freak-Offs and Combs's Star Island Mansion Raid." The Washington Post, 20 May 2025, https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/2025/05/20/diddy-trial-live-updates-sean-combs-witness-testimony/.
Landrum Jr., Jonathan. "Diddy Faces Public Scrutiny over Alleged Sex Crimes as Questions Arise about Future of His Music." The Associated Press, 21 Sept. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/sean-combs-diddy-7ffff613c885e5010ba3cfdb0625fb5a.
Reiss, Adam, and Marlene Lenthang. "Sean 'Diddy' Combs Trial Recap: Agent Testifies about Drugs, Guns and Sex Supplies Found in Miami Home." NBC News, 21 May 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/live-blog/diddy-sean-combs-trial-testimony-live-updates-rcna207379.
Ryan, Patrick, et al. "Diddy Trial Recap: Cassie's Mom Said She Wired Diddy $20K, Was Sick over Alleged Threats." USA TODAY, https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2025/05/20/diddy-trial-updates-day-11/83729731007/. Accessed 21 May 2025.
Schnitzer, Kyle, Jack Morphet, Priscilla DeGregory, and Matt Troutman. "Diddy Took Drugs 'every Day' Including Obama-Shaped Ecstasy Pills, Ex-Assistant Says." New York Post, 20 May 2025, https://nypost.com/2025/05/20/us-news/diddy-took-drugs-every-day-including-obama-shaped-ecstasy-pills-ex-assistant-says/.
Schnitzer, Kyle, Jack Morphet, Priscilla DeGregory, and Kaydi Pelletier. "Diddy Trial: Live Updates from May 20." New York Post, 20 May 2025, https://nypost.com/2025/05/20/us-news/diddy-trial-live-updates-05-20-2025/.
Sisario, Ben, and Julia Jacobs. "Cassie's Mother Testifies at Sean Combs's Trial About Bruises and a Payment." The New York Times, 20 May 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/20/arts/music/sean-combs-diddy-trial-assistant-cassie-mother.html.
---. "Drugs, Sex, Baby Oil: The 'Freak-Offs' at the Core of Sean Combs's Troubles." The New York Times, 22 Sept. 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/22/arts/music/sean-combs-diddy-freakoffs-sex-drugs.html.
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