Los Angeles announced.LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Five people have been charged in connection with Matthew Perry’s death from a ketamine overdose last year, including the actor’s assistant and two doctors, prosecutors said Thursday.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada announced the charges Thursday, saying the doctors supplied Perry with a large amount of ketamine and even wondered in a text message how much the former “Friends” star would be willing to pay.
Perry died in October due to a ketamine overdose and received several injections on the day he died from his live-in personal assistant.
Three of the defendants, including a doctor, have already pleaded guilty to federal drug charges in connection with this death, while two others were arrested on Thursday, according to the Department of Justice.
These are the people arrested in Matthew Perry’s death: Jasveen Sangha, 41, allegedly known as “The Ketamine Queen,” is accused of selling Perry the batch of ketamine that killed him.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 42, a licensed medical doctor known as “Dr. P,” is accused of distributing approximately 20 vials of ketamine to Perry.
Dr. Mark Chavez, a licensed medical doctor, who worked to obtain the ketamine.
Eric Fleming, who admitted in court documents that he distributed the ketamine that killed Perry.
Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s live-in assistant, worked with Sangha and Chavez to get the ketamine to Perry.
The investigation into Perry’s death U.S.
Attorney Martin Estrada said investigators conducted a wide-ranging investigation following Perry’s death in October 2023 that “revealed a broad, underground criminal network responsible for distributing large quantities of ketamine to Mr. Perry and others.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said investigators conducted a wide-ranging investigation following Perry’s death in October 2023 that “revealed a broad, underground criminal network responsible for distributing large quantities of ketamine to Mr. Perry and others.
“The investigation has been ongoing since Perry’s death and includes the Los Angeles Police Department, DEA, U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The lead defendants in the case are Sangha and Plasencia. The three others separately charged in the case include Iwamasa, Chavez and Fleming.
“These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry’s addiction issues to enrich themselves,” Estrada said during a press briefing on Thursday. “They knew what they were doing was risking great danger to Mr. Perry, but they did it anyway.”
The other lead defendant, Sangha, is accused of selling 50 vials of ketamine for approximately $11,000 in cash over two weeks to Perry, working with Fleming and Iwamasa to distribute the drugs to Perry, according to Estrada.
She is accused of selling Perry the batch of ketamine that killed him.