Five people, including two doctors, a live-in assistant and an alleged drug dealer known as the “Ketamine Queen,” have been arrested in connection with the death of Matthew Perry.
The suspects were arrested Thursday on charges of being part of a “vast underground criminal network” that supplied the Friends star with the ketamine that killed him in October 2023.
Doctors Salvador Plascencia, 42, and Mark Chavez, 54, alleged drug dealer Jasveen Sangha, 41, also known as the “Ketamine Queen,” Perry’s assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, 59, and drug dealer Eric Fleming, 54, have all been charged.
Prosecutors say the group took advantage of the vulnerable star’s addiction problems and that doctors even referred to him as a “jerk” in cruel texts discussing how to exploit him further.
On October 28, Iwamasa found Perry unconscious in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home. The cause of death was later determined to be “acute effects of ketamine.”
Five people, including two doctors, a resident assistant and an alleged drug dealer known as the “Ketamine Queen,” have been arrested in connection with the death of Matthew Perry.
Jasveen Sangha, 41, is best known as the “Ketamine Queen” of North Hollywood. Prosecutors say she is the linchpin of a “vast underground criminal network” that supplied the Friends star with the ketamine that killed him in October 2023.
The resident assistant has since admitted to being the one who administered the fatal doses to the actor after being trained by Plascencia on how to administer the doses.
But prosecutors say Sangha’s distribution of the substance on Oct. 4, 2023, led to his death.
Sangha had thousands of pills and kilograms of powder in his home, according to photos released by prosecutors who described the scene as a “drug emporium.”
Federal law enforcement raided his home in March and recovered incriminating evidence, including text messages about the sale of “double-strength” ketamine.
Sangha, who has dual US-UK citizenship, is now charged with a range of drug offences relating to the supply of ketamine that killed Perry.
An affidavit filed in Los Angeles federal court by rookie DEA agent Tyler Abrego on March 20 describes a raid the day before at Sangha’s home.
“During the search, police seized significant quantities of illegal drugs, including approximately 1,978 grams of orange-colored pills that field tested positive for methamphetamine, 79 bottles containing a clear liquid that field tested positive for ketamine, and several other suspected narcotics,” Officer Abrego wrote in the criminal complaint.
A gun can also be seen in a photograph of the confiscated drugs included in Abrego’s affidavit.
The complaint said Sangha was a “high-volume drug trafficker” previously identified by the DEA, LAPD homicide detectives and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Officers seized his cell phone, which contained “conversations related to the sale of pressed methamphetamine pills and ketamine.”
In a March text conversation about selling ketamine, he requested a payment of “958.51” to his PayPal and said, “I think you’ll like these, but remember they’re double strength.”
Videos recovered from her phone showed her “cooking ketamine,” the DEA agent wrote.
Among the defendants is 42-year-old physician Salvador Plascencia, who is charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
Perry’s former assistant Kenneth Iwamasa has also been charged and admitted to administering the fatal dose of ketamine that killed the Friends actor.
At a news conference, U.S. Attorney Martin Etrada described Perry’s steady descent into ketamine addiction, which began with him obtaining the controlled substance through doctors before eventually turning to street dealers.
An explosive indictment alleges the defendants made tens of thousands of dollars selling the drug to the troubled star.
In one case, Perry was charged $2,000 for a vial of ketamine that cost $12 after he became increasingly desperate to get his hands on the drug, according to the documents.
Text messages between the defendants show they conspired to supply Perry, with Plascencia insisting he wants to be the star’s go-to person for obtaining the drug, the indictment shows.
In one message, prosecutors say Plasencia texted Chavez asking, “I wonder how much this idiot is going to pay,” referring to Perry.
Estrada added that the defendants exchanged other messages in which they attempted to cover up their involvement in supplying ketamine to Perry after his death.
Plasencia is charged with seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to the federal investigation.
The other three defendants were charged separately and two pleaded guilty, while a third agreed to plead guilty.
Fleming, of Hawthorne, admitted obtaining ketamine from Sangha and distributing it to Iwamasa, who admitted administering it to the star, despite having no medical training.
Jasveen Sangha, 41, also known as the “Ketamine Queen” of North Hollywood, is also charged. Investigators said they discovered a “drug emporium” in her home during a raid in March 2024.
Prosecutors say Sangha’s distribution of ketamine on Oct. 4, 2023, led to Perry’s death
The indictment alleges the defendants sold Perry a vial of ketamine costing $12 for $2,000 as he became increasingly dependent on the substance.
Meanwhile, in his plea agreement, San Diego doctor Chavez admitted to diverting supplies from his clinic to Plascencia by filling false prescriptions.
“These defendants cared more about profiting from Mr. Perry than caring about his well-being,” Estrada said.
“Drug dealers who sell dangerous substances are gambling with other people’s lives out of sheer greed. This case, along with many other prosecutions against drug dealers who cause deaths, sends a clear message that we will hold drug dealers accountable for the deaths they cause.”
If convicted on all charges, Sangha could face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison.
Plasencia could face up to 10 years in federal prison for each ketamine-related charge and up to 20 years in federal prison for each falsifying records charge.
Iwamasa and Fleming face up to 15 and 25 years, respectively, when sentenced in their federal cases.
Chavez has been charged in a criminal proceeding pursuant to a plea agreement and will be arraigned on August 30. At sentencing, Chavez faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
In his last Instagram post, Perry shared images of himself in his pool where he would later be found dead.
Alleged drug dealer Sangha could face life in prison if convicted of all crimes
“We allege that each of the defendants played a key role in his death by falsely prescribing, selling or injecting the ketamine that caused Matthew Perry’s tragic death,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram.
‘Matthew Perry’s journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw it as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials.’
Beloved actor Perry had been receiving prescription ketamine therapy to treat his anxiety and depression.
But he had not received any of those treatments for a week and a half before his death.
This means that the ketamine found in his system after he drowned had not been prescribed.
The amount in his blood was within the range used for general anesthesia during surgery.
It was listed as the primary cause of death, which was ruled an accident with no suspicion of foul play, according to the report.
Multiple law enforcement agencies have conducted searches, seizing computers, phones and other devices to try to establish which of the suspects was responsible for giving Perry the fatal dose.
The actor had been open about his struggles with substance abuse.
In 2022, he said he estimated he had spent $9 million battling his addictions in 15 rehab stays.
This is a developing story, please check back for updates…
