5 charged over Matthew Perry's death accused of profiting from the actor's pain
Two doctors and at least one drug dealer known as "The Ketamine Queen" have been charged in connection with the death of actor and "Friends" star Matthew Perry.
Defendants charged in connection with the 54-year-old's October 2023 ketamine overdose case include Jasveen Sangha and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office Central District of California.
Sangha, a 41-year-old known as "The Ketamine Queen" of North Hollywood, faces one count of maintaining drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine, and five counts of distribution of ketamine.
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Plasencia, known as "Dr. P" of Santa Monica, was charged with seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering or falsifying records related to the federal investigation.
An autopsy concluded that the ketamine overdose resulted in the actor losing consciousness and drowning in his hot tub. Authorities reported that the actor was discovered facedown in the jacuzzi at his California home.
The three others charged separately in the case are Dr. Mark Chavez, who admitted in a plea agreement that he sold ketamine to Plasencia. Other defendants include Erik Fleming, who admitted in court documents that he distributed the ketamine that killed Perry, and the actor's live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa.
Perry's live-in assistant admitted to repeatedly injecting the actor with ketamine despite a lack of medical training, according to prosecutors. Iwamasa also confessed that he performed multiple injections on the actor on the day that he died.
"These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being," U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said. "Drug dealers selling dangerous substances are gambling with other people's lives over greed. This case, along with our many other prosecutions of drug-dealers who cause death, send a clear message that we will hold drug-dealers accountable for the deaths they cause."
The superseding indictment notes that Plasencia learned of Perry's interest in obtaining ketamine in late September 2023. The physician contacted Chavez, who used to operate a ketamine clinic, to obtain the drug and sell it to the actor.
Plasencia discussed how much ketamine he should sell to the actor in a text to Chavez, writing, "I wonder how much this moron will pay." Chavez would later sell Plasencia orally administered ketamine lozenges that he obtained by writing a fraudulent prescription.
Authorities told ABC News that vials of ketamine cost doctors $12, but the doctors sold it to Perry for $2,000.
Throughout September and October 2023, Plasencia distributed ketamine to Perry and Iwamasa, at times injecting the actor without proper safety equipment, according to the California attorney's office. He also taught Iwamasa how to inject the actor and left the assistant with vials of ketamine to administer to Perry.
In addition to Plasencia, Iwamasa also obtained ketamine from Fleming and Sangha, with the former coordinating the drug sales with "The Ketamine Queen." The attorney's office noted that Sangha was aware of the danger of ketamine after one of her clients died from an overdose in August 2019.
Following the actor's death in October 2023, federal agents and Los Angeles Police Department detectives discovered 79 vials of ketamine and other evidence of drug trafficking after executing a search warrant at Sangha's residence. Sangha faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment, according to the DOJ.
Earlier this year, Plasencia attempted to provide authorities with falsified medical records to show he had a legitimate "treatment plan" for the actor. If convicted, the doctor faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each ketamine-related count and up to 20 years in federal prison for each falsification of records count.
Iwamasa and Fleming will face up to 15 years and 25 years, respectively, and Chavez's arraignment is expected to take place on Aug. 30. The physician faces up to 10 years in federal prison if convicted.
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
