Federal prosecutors have charged five individuals, including two California doctors, a reputed drug dealer known as the “ketamine queen,” and actor Matthew Perry’s live-in personal assistant, in connection with Perry’s accidental overdose death.
Matthew Perry, best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the popular TV show Friends, was found dead at 54, face down in the heated end of a pool at his Pacific Palisades home on October 28, 2023. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that his death was caused by the acute effects of ketamine, an anesthetic known for its psychedelic properties.
According to an 18-count superseding indictment, Jasveen Sangha, a North Hollywood resident who allegedly sold ketamine and other drugs, provided Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, with the ketamine that ultimately led to the actor’s death. On the day of Perry’s passing, Iwamasa injected him with the drug using a syringe provided by Dr. Salvador Plasencia. The indictment further alleges that Plasencia had previously supplied ketamine to both Perry and his assistant.
Sangha, 41, and Plasencia, 42, were arrested on Thursday in southern California. Both have been charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Sangha, who holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and U.K., faces additional drug-related charges. She was previously arrested in March in connection with a separate federal drug case but was released after posting a $100,000 bond. Neither Sangha’s nor Plasencia’s legal representatives have responded to requests for comment.
Kenneth Iwamasa, 59, Perry’s assistant, pleaded guilty on August 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing a death. He admitted to injecting Perry with ketamine on multiple occasions without medical training, including on the day the actor died.
Another defendant, Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, a physician based in San Diego, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Prosecutors stated that Chavez admitted to selling ketamine to Plasencia, including some that he had diverted from his former clinic.
The fifth individual charged, Erik Fleming, 54, was described in court documents as an acquaintance of Perry’s who helped him obtain ketamine. Fleming admitted to distributing the ketamine that resulted in Perry’s death, which he had acquired from Sangha.
In response to the charges, the family of “Dateline” correspondent Keith Morrison, who is Perry’s stepfather, issued a statement expressing relief over the law enforcement action.
