Five individuals have been charged in connection with the drug-related death of Matthew Perry last year, as reported by police. Among those charged are two doctors and Perry’s personal assistant. According to police, an investigation that began in May uncovered a vast underground network of drug dealers responsible for distributing significant amounts of ketamine.
Matthew Perry, aged 54, passed away at his residence in Los Angeles in October. A post-mortem examination revealed a high concentration of ketamine in his bloodstream, concluding that the “acute effects” of the controlled substance were the cause of his death. “These defendants exploited Mr. Perry’s addiction for their own financial gain,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. “They were aware of the risks posed to Mr. Perry, yet proceeded regardless.”
Three defendants, including Perry’s assistant, have already pleaded guilty to drug charges. The remaining two, a doctor and a woman known as “The Ketamine Queen,” were arrested on Thursday, per the justice department. Ketamine, a potent anesthetic, is utilized as a treatment for depression, anxiety, and pain. Individuals close to Matthew Perry, famous for his role in the NBC series *Friends*, stated that he was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy, but his last session occurred more than a week before his death. The medical examiner clarified that the ketamine found in Perry’s system was not from the infusion therapy, as the drug has a short half-life.
The medical examiner further noted that the ketamine levels in Perry’s system were comparable to those used during general anesthesia. A federal court indictment outlines the complex drug purchasing scheme that prosecutors allege ultimately led to Perry’s death. Prosecutors claim Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, collaborated with two doctors to provide Matthew Perry with over $50,000 (£38,000) worth of ketamine in the weeks before his passing.
Authorities argue that those involved in the scheme sought to exploit Perry’s well-known substance abuse problems. One doctor, Salvador Plasencia, is accused of sending a text message stating, “I wonder how much this moron will pay.” According to the indictment, Mr. Plasencia, 42, supplied ketamine to Perry “outside the usual scope of professional practice and without a legitimate medical reason.” He is also alleged to have instructed Iwamasa on how to administer ketamine to Perry without adhering to proper safety protocols.
Prosecutors assert that in the four days leading up to his death, Iwamasa administered at least 27 ketamine injections to Perry. This continued despite a prior incident in which a large dose of ketamine caused Perry to “freeze up.” Mr. Plasencia had advised against using a similar dose afterward but still left several vials of the drug with the actor and his assistant, as per the indictment.
Other individuals charged include Jasveen Sangha, dubbed the “Ketamine Queen,” who allegedly supplied the drug to Plasencia with assistance from two co-defendants, Erik Fleming and Dr. Mark Chavez. Chavez, Fleming, and Iwamasa have all pleaded guilty, while Ms. Sangha and Mr. Plasencia made their initial court appearances in Los Angeles on Thursday, entering pleas of not guilty, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Trial dates for both suspects have been tentatively set for October. Mr. Plasencia was granted a bond of $100,000, while Ms. Sangha was ordered to be held without bond. Prosecutors allege that the defendants attempted to conceal their crimes after Perry’s death. Ms. Sangha is accused of sending a text message instructing another suspect to “delete all our messages,” and Mr. Plasencia is accused of falsifying medical records.
Perry’s death was ruled an accident, with drowning listed as a contributing factor, alongside coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid addiction. At the peak of his career, Perry struggled with addiction to painkillers and alcohol, undergoing multiple rehabilitation stints. He recounted his battle with substance abuse in his memoir *Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing*. In 2016, he admitted to the media that he could not recall three years of filming *Friends* due to his struggles with addiction. After several treatment attempts, he noted in his memoir that he had been mostly sober since 2001, with “about 60 or 70 mishaps.”
