5 charged in connection to Matthew Perry’s death, including his personal assistant

Five people, including Matthew Perry’s live-in personal assistant, were charged in connection with the actor’s accidental overdose death, according to a U.S. District Court filing released Thursday.

Jasveen Sangha (aka “The Ketamine Queen”) and Dr. Salvador Plascencia (aka “Dr. P”) were arrested on Thursday and charged with an 18-count superseding indictment for “distributing ketamine” to Perry.

“These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada, per a U.S. District Court press release . “Drug dealers selling dangerous substances are gambling with other people’s lives over greed. This case, along with our many other prosecutions of drug-dealers who cause death, send a clear message that we will hold drug-dealers accountable for the deaths they cause.”

According to the U.S. District Court filing , the three other defendants also charged in connection to Perry’s death are:

• Kenneth Iwamasa: Perry’s live-in personal assistant, who pleaded guilty to “one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death.” He admitted to injecting Perry with ketamine repeatedly without medical training.
• Eric Fleming: He pleaded guilty to “one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death.” He admitted to obtaining ketamine from Sangha and giving it to Iwamasa.
• Dr. Mark Chavez: The San Diego physician has agreed to plead guilty to “one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.” Chavez admitted to selling ketamine to Plascencia.

“Today we announce charges brought against the five individuals who, together, are responsible for the death of Matthew Perry,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, per a U.S. District Court press release . “We allege each of the defendants played a key role in his death by falsely prescribing, selling, or injecting the ketamine that caused Matthew Perry’s tragic death. Matthew Perry’s journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials.”

Perry was found face down and unresponsive in his heated pool at his home is Los Angeles on Oct. 28, 2023.

His official cause of his death was listed as “acute effects of ketamine,” per the Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office . Perry’s death was also ruled an accident.

The Los Angeles police confirmed in May that they were working with the Drug Enforcement Administration to find the source of the ketamine linked to Perry’s death, as reported by The New York Times .

Capt. Scot Williams of the Los Angeles Police Department said authorities were investigating whether ketamine was legally obtained.

More information regarding the investigation is expected to be announced during a press conference on Thursday in Los Angeles.

Prior to his death, Perry was undergoing “ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety,” per CNN . Perry, who rose to stardom playing Chandler Bing on “Friends,” regularly shared candidly about his struggles with addiction.

In his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,” Perry revealed that his addiction reached a point of taking 55 pills a day while filming “Friends.” He noted how his addiction changed his physical appearance.

“I was, like, brutally thin and being beaten down so badly by the disease,” Perry wrote.

In 2013, Perry told People how he was prescribed Vicodin following an accident in 1997, which sparked his drug and alcohol abuse issues.

“I had a big problem with alcohol and pills and I couldn’t stop,” Perry said, per People . “Eventually things got so bad that I couldn’t hide it, and then everybody knew.”

According to People , Perry’s sudden death “devastated” his “Friends” castmates, Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer.

Following his death, they released a joint statement: “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” per People.

“There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss. In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”