5 People Are Charged In Matthew Perry’s Death

Two doctors and three others, including Matthew Perry’s personal assistant, have been charged in connection with supplying the Friends star with ketamine, a powerful sedative that led to his overdose and death nearly a year ago. U.S. authorities announced the charges on Thursday, August 15, shedding light on the criminal network that distributed the drug to Perry and others.

Among those charged is a woman known in Los Angeles as the “Ketamine Queen.” According to U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada, this group played a role in the illegal prescription, sale, and administration of the ketamine that ultimately caused Perry’s death in October 2023.

Two of the accused, Jasveen Sangha, 41, and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 42, have already been arrested. Ketamine, often used as a short-acting anesthetic with hallucinogenic properties, is sometimes prescribed to treat depression and anxiety but is also known for its misuse by recreational users.

Authorities revealed that Sangha, dubbed the “Ketamine Queen,” sold the fatal doses to Perry from her “stash house” in North Hollywood. Meanwhile, Dr. Plasencia was accused of distributing ketamine to Perry and his personal assistant, 59-year-old Kenneth Iwamasa, without a legitimate medical reason on at least seven occasions.

Court documents disclosed that Iwamasa, who lived with Perry, confessed to injecting the actor with ketamine multiple times, including on the day he died. Iwamasa has since pleaded guilty to one criminal charge. Investigators also found that Dr. Plasencia had taught Iwamasa how to administer the drug and had even injected Perry himself, sometimes without proper safety equipment, including an incident in a parked car.

Further investigation revealed that Plasencia obtained ketamine from Dr. Mark Chavez, 54. Text messages between Plasencia and Chavez included discussions about how much to charge Perry for the drug, with Plasencia referring to Perry as a “moron.” Chavez has admitted to selling ketamine to Plasencia and has agreed to plead guilty to one charge.

The fifth individual charged is Eric Fleming, 54, who admitted to obtaining ketamine from Sangha and distributing 50 vials to Iwamasa. Fleming has pleaded guilty to two criminal charges.

Matthew Perry, who passed away at the age of 54, died from the “acute effects” of ketamine, which led to unconsciousness and drowning in his hot tub, according to a December 2023 autopsy report. Toxicology tests revealed dangerously high levels of ketamine in his system, typically seen in patients undergoing monitored general anesthesia.

The report also noted that other contributing factors included drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid addiction. Perry had openly discussed his struggles with drug and alcohol abuse, including during his time as Chandler Bing on the hit 1990s sitcom Friends.