Doctors and Matthew Perry’s assistant charged in actor’s ketamine overdose death

Get Real Time Breaking News Alerts For Free!

Get Free Breaking News Updates By Signing Up

I want to receive emails about discounts, special events, and news from The Independent. You can find our privacy policy for more information.

Five individuals have been taken into custody and accused of supplying ketamine to Matthew Perry, the popular actor from the TV show Friends, resulting in his death in October of last year, as reported by authorities on Thursday.

During a media briefing, US Attorney E. Martin Estrada announced that the individuals being investigated consist of Perry's aide, two medical professionals, and a woman from North Hollywood who is nicknamed "the Ketamine Queen."

As per the charges revealed in court in Los Angeles, Perry's assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, and a friend of his, Erik Fleming, collaborated with doctors Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez to obtain a significant amount of ketamine for Perry before his fatal overdose. Despite this, Jasveen Sangha, also known as the "Ketamine Queen," is accused of providing Perry with the doses that ultimately led to his death, Estrada confirmed.

Plasencia viewed Perry, who was 54 years old, as a way to make money, according to the charges. Text messages he sent to Chavez about a month before the actor's death show this. In one message, he asked, "I wonder how much this fool will pay." In another message, he wrote, "Let's see."

In another message to Chavez, Plasencia expressed that meeting Perry felt like a poorly made film.

Plasencia gave Perry ketamine on different occasions, injecting him with 360 milligrams of the drug in one visit that lasted an hour, according to the charges. Plasencia also showed Iwamasa how to inject Perry with ketamine and left behind the drug and syringes for $4,500, as alleged in the charges. In early October 2023, the charges claim Iwamasa texted Plasencia an order for eight vials of ketamine, using the code words "8 bottles of dr pepper."

Last year, on October 12, Plasencia gave Perry a strong amount of ketamine which made him unexpectedly stiff and raised his blood pressure, startling the doctor, as stated in the indictment. When Plasencia started having issues with his supply, Perry's intermediaries reached out to Sangha, who claimed to have a skilled chef making ketamine for her, according to the indictment. Because Perry purchased a large amount of her product, Sangha also offered him ketamine lollipops as an extra, according to the indictment.

Before Perry died, Iwamasa gave him at least 15 injections of ketamine, all of which were provided by Sangha. The indictment stated that Iwamasa administered the last three doses of ketamine, which were purchased from Sangha, to Perry on October 28, 2023, the same day the actor was discovered dead in his hot tub. Plasencia provided the needles for the injections.

Later on that day, according to the indictment, Sangha sent a message to Fleming on Signal instructing him to "Erase all of our messages."

Police used search warrants to take computers, phones, and other electronic devices in order to figure out who was behind the drugs that caused the actor to overdose.

This offer is exclusively for new users. After the trial period, the monthly fee is £8.99. The subscription will automatically renew until you choose to cancel it.

Only for people who sign up for the first time. You can try it for free, but after that it costs £8.99 per month. Your subscription will automatically renew unless you cancel it.

After a medical examiner determined that Perry's death was accidental last year, it was seen as a closed case.

However, nearly seven months later, an inquiry was launched by authorities at both the federal and local levels to determine who provided the ketamine that led to the death of the actor from Friends.

The LAPD confirmed in May that they are working with the DEA and USPIS to look into how Perry obtained a large quantity of ketamine.

In December 2023, an initial toxicology report showed that Perry passed away from the "sudden impact of ketamine," leading to his drowning in the warm waters. Those who knew the actor well shared that he was receiving ketamine infusion treatment for his struggles with depression and anxiety.

The results of his post-mortem examination, which were made public in December, revealed that the level of the substance in Perry's bloodstream was comparable to the dosage given to patients undergoing surgery.

However, his most recent medical treatment with infusion therapy occurred one and a half weeks prior to his passing. The examiner pointed out that the presence of ketamine in Perry's body "could not have come from the infusion therapy, as ketamine has a half-life of three to four hours, or even less".

The entertainment industry was saddened by the news of Perry's passing last year. He was best known for his portrayal of Chandler Bing, a character famous for his clever and sarcastic remarks.

After hearing the news, his five fellow actors - Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, and Lisa Kudrow - issued a statement together requesting time to "come to terms with this unimaginable tragedy".

Our hearts are broken over the passing of Matthew. We were more than just colleagues, we were a close-knit group. We are at a loss for words, but for now we need time to mourn and come to terms with this unimaginable loss.

"We will share more information when we can. Currently, our thoughts and love are with Matty's family, friends, and all who cared for him globally."