Five individuals, including Matthew Perry’s personal assistant and two doctors, have been arrested and charged in connection with his death, according to prosecutors.
The doctors provided the actor, who passed away at his Los Angeles residence in October 2023, with excessive quantities of ketamine, US attorney Martin Estrada stated, exploiting Mr. Perry’s struggles with addiction for their own financial gain.
At 54 years old, Perry had openly battled addiction problems. He was receiving ketamine infusion therapy for anxiety and depression at the time of his death, the Los Angeles medical examiner reported in an autopsy last year.
However, the autopsy revealed significantly higher levels of ketamine in his blood than the therapy would suggest.
In May, the Los Angeles Police Department, along with the Drug Enforcement Administration, announced a combined criminal probe into the source of Perry’s prescription drugs and the reasons behind the excessive drug levels in his system.
“That investigation has revealed a broad underground criminal network responsible for distributing large quantities of ketamine to Mr. Perry and others,” Estrada said on Thursday.
“This network included a live-in assistant, various go-betweens, two medical doctors, and a major source of drug supply known as ‘the Ketamine Queen’.”
Estrada confirmed that charges had been brought against five individuals.
“They knew what they were doing was wrong. They knew what they were doing was risking great danger to Mr. Perry, but they did it anyway. In the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr. Perry than caring for his wellbeing,” he said.
Court filings in California, detailed by the New York Times, allege the group, including Perry’s personal assistant, was involved in a scheme to procure and administer ketamine worth thousands of dollars to Perry.
According to the Times, those indicted include Jasveen Sangha, dubbed “the Ketamine Queen,” and Salvador Plasencia, also known as “Dr P.”
They face charges including conspiracy to distribute ketamine, distribution of ketamine leading to death, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and tampering with records in a federal investigation.
Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s personal assistant, is charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine, as reported by the Times, citing a knowledgeable source. Also charged are Dr. Mark Chavez and Erik Fleming, an associate of Perry.
Text messages between Plasencia and Chavez reveal discussions about purchasing ketamine for “victim MP” – Perry.
In those messages, Plasencia questioned, “I wonder how much this moron will pay,” followed by, “let’s find out,” according to the Times.
Perry was discovered deceased in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home in October 2023. The medical examiner’s office attributed his death to the acute effects of ketamine.
The report indicated that drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine, a medication for opioid use disorder, contributed to the death.
An autopsy showed that the ketamine levels in Perry’s blood were similar to those used for general anesthesia.
“At the high levels of ketamine found in his postmortem blood specimens, the main lethal effects would be from both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression,” the autopsy report stated.
Perry’s death was ruled an accident, with no evidence of foul play. Perry had previously spoken about his substance abuse issues, which began at age 14 and escalated during his time on “Friends.”
