Federal prosecutors confirmed Monday that the final of five individuals charged in the death of actor Matthew Perry has agreed to a plea deal, marking a major turning point in the case. Jasveen Sangha, widely known as the “Ketamine Queen,” entered her guilty plea, admitting to maintaining a drug-involved premises, multiple counts of distributing ketamine, including distribution that resulted in death or serious bodily injury, in connection with the October 2023 overdose death of the Friends star Matthew Perry.
Perry was found dead in his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023, from acute ketamine toxicity, complicated by drowning, underlying coronary artery disease, and buprenorphine use. Over the ensuing months, a federal probe unraveled a clandestine web of drug supply involving Perry’s inner circle. His personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, admitted to repeatedly injecting the actor with ketamine in the days leading to his death, and pleaded guilty, facing up to 15 years behind bars.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who admitted supplying Perry with dozens of vials of ketamine in the month preceding the overdose and even coordinated with another physician to facilitate supply, entered a guilty plea earlier this year. Text messages revealed he disparaged Perry as a “moron” and referred to exploiting him for profit. Plasencia could face up to 40 years in prison. Dr. Mark Chavez, who supplied ketamine to Plasencia under false pretenses, also pleaded guilty and faces up to 10 years.
Another figure in the investigation, Erik Fleming—a friend of Perry’s and a television director—pleaded guilty last year to distributing ketamine that ultimately contributed to Perry’s death. He admitted to acting as a conduit between Sangha and Iwamasa; he could be sentenced to up to 25 years and is scheduled for formal sentencing later this year.
Sangha’s guilty plea closes the loop on all five defendants originally indicted last August. In her plea, she acknowledged selling the fatal ketamine, maintaining a lavish drug operation out of her North Hollywood residence, and previously supplying ketamine in another fatal overdose case in 2019. Reports indicate she could face up to 45 years in prison.
Authorities say that Perry’s addiction struggles were known to these individuals, yet they exploited them to profit, rather than helping him. Sangha reportedly attempted to erase text communications after Perry’s death, instructing associates to “delete our messages,” a disturbing detail that emerged during the investigation. Investigators also discovered encrypted data and a stash of illicit substances in her home.
With all defendants now pleading guilty, federal prosecutors are preparing for sentencing hearings scheduled between September and December 2025. The case underscores a broader issue of how vulnerable individuals—including high-profile figures battling addiction—can become ensnared by those who prioritize profit over care. As the legal process unfolds, the industry and the public are left to grapple with the darker sides of dependency, celebrity, and exploitation.
