Five individuals, including Matthew Perry’s personal assistant and two doctors, have been arrested and charged in connection with the actor’s death, prosecutors announced. The “Friends” star passed away in October 2023 at his Los Angeles home due to the “acute effects of ketamine,” according to U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada.
The doctors involved allegedly provided Perry with a significant amount of ketamine, exploiting the actor’s struggles with addiction for financial gain, Estrada stated. Perry, 54, had been vocal about his battle with substance abuse. At the time of his death, he was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy for anxiety and depression, but the Los Angeles medical examiner noted that the levels of ketamine in his system far exceeded therapeutic amounts.
The Los Angeles Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration launched a joint investigation in May to uncover how Perry obtained the prescription medication and why such high levels were present in his system.
Perry was a victim of a ‘criminal network’, according to Court
“This investigation uncovered a vast underground network responsible for distributing large quantities of ketamine to Mr. Perry and others,” Estrada said. The network reportedly included Perry’s live-in assistant, intermediaries, two medical doctors, and a major supplier known as “the Ketamine Queen.”
According to federal court documents, the five individuals, including Perry’s personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, are accused of conspiring to obtain and administer large amounts of ketamine to the actor. Those charged include Jasveen Sangha, dubbed “the Ketamine Queen,” and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, known as “Dr. P,” who face charges of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, distribution resulting in death, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and falsifying records related to a federal investigation.
Text messages revealed in the court documents show Plasencia discussing the sale of ketamine to “victim MP” (Perry), with messages such as, “I wonder how much this moron will pay,” and “let’s find out.”
Perry was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his home, and an autopsy later confirmed that his death was due to the high levels of ketamine in his bloodstream, with drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine as contributing factors. The death was ruled accidental, with no evidence of foul play.
