Matthew Perry’s personal assistant, two doctors and two others have been indicted and charged with providing the ketamine that caused the Friends actor’s death, per the New York Times .
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The Friends actor died in October 2023 from the “acute effects of ketamine,” per the official autopsy report that was released last December. Perry had taken ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety roughly 10 days prior to his death. However, the report noted that “the ketamine in his system at death could not be from that infusion therapy, since ketamine’s half-life is 3 to 4 hours, or less.”
Investigators have been searching for the individuals who supplied Perry with said ketamine ever since.
According to the Times , Perry’s personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, a doctor by the name of Mark Chavez and Perry acquaintance Erik Fleming were all charged with multiple counts including conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Also charged: Jasveen Sangha, allegedly known as “the Ketamine Queen,” and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, aka “Dr. P.,” the latter of whom is said to have maintained a “stash house” in North Hollywood.
Federal charges brought against the five defendants include conspiracy to distribute ketamine, distribution of ketamine resulting in death, maintaining drug-involved premises, altering and falsifying records related to a federal investigation, and multiple other drug trafficking counts.
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“These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry’s addiction issues to enrich themselves,” said E. Martin Estrada, United States Attorney for the Central District of California, at a press conference held Thursday (watch livestream, above). “They knew what they were doing was wrong… In the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr. Perry than caring for his wellbeing.
“By filing these extensive and serious charges, we are sending a clear message,” he added. “If you are in the business of selling dangerous drugs, we will hold you accountable for the deaths you cause.”
Perry was discovered unresponsive in the jacuzzi at his Los Angeles-area home on Oct. 28, 2023. Two days later, Friends co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, LeBlanc and David Schwimmer said in joint statement that they were “utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew,” adding, “We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”
Matthew Perry's Cause of Death Revealed
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