Matthew Perry: Five individuals, including two doctors, charged in connection with the ketamine-related death of the Friends star
The doctors are accused of charging the Friends actor $2,000 for a vial of ketamine that they purchased for $12. Perry’s live-in assistant has confessed to repeatedly injecting the star with the drug.
Prosecutors allege that one of the doctors charged in connection with the ketamine-related death of Friends star Matthew Perry sent a text message saying, “I wonder how much this moron will pay.”
The text was reportedly written by Salvador Plasencia, a doctor known as “Dr. P,” who is among five defendants charged in relation to Perry’s death.
The others charged include Jasveen Sangha, referred to as the “Ketamine Queen,” Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s live-in personal assistant, Erik Fleming, an acquaintance of the actor, and another doctor, Mark Chavez.
Iwamasa and Fleming have already pleaded guilty to charges related to Perry’s death, while Chavez, a San Diego physician, has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
On Thursday afternoon, Plasencia entered a not guilty plea to the charge against him, with his trial set to begin on October 8.
The judge set a $100,000 (£77,796) bail bond for Plasencia with additional conditions. He was allowed to continue operating his medical practice, provided it didn’t involve controlled substances, as long as he posted a notice about his legal situation and required patients to sign a form acknowledging the charges against him.
Sangha also pleaded not guilty but was denied bail since she had previously been out on bail following a March arrest for a separate drug charge. Her earlier bail was revoked due to concerns she might flee and because she had asked a co-conspirator to delete text messages. Her trial is set for October 15.
This follows the discovery of Matthew Perry’s body in the swimming pool of his California home in October 2023.
A grand jury indictment in California accuses Plasencia of selling ketamine and related paraphernalia, such as syringes, to Perry’s assistant and instructing him on how to administer the drug after Perry developed an addiction while seeking mental health treatment.
Ketamine has seen a significant increase in use in recent years as a treatment for depression, anxiety, and pain.
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) administrator Anne Milgram stated: “Matthew Perry sought treatment for depression and anxiety at a local clinic, where he became addicted to intravenous ketamine. When the clinic doctors refused to increase his dosage, he turned to unethical doctors who saw him as an opportunity to make quick money.”
Prosecutors claim that Dr. Chavez supplied ketamine to Plasencia, obtaining the drug from a wholesale distributor using a fraudulent prescription. In one instance, prosecutors allege that Plasencia charged Perry $2,000 (£1,500) for a vial that had cost Dr. Chavez approximately $12 (£9).
The indictment claims that over a two-week span in early October 2023, Plasencia received $32,000 from Iwamasa—$21,500 of which was in cash—in exchange for ketamine.
“These defendants exploited Mr. Perry’s addiction for their own financial gain, fully aware that their actions were wrong,” stated US Attorney Martin Estrada.
Prosecutors state that Perry experienced a health scare on October 12, when he “froze up” and had high blood pressure after being injected with a “large dose” of the tranquilizer.
Following the incident, Plasencia texted Iwamasa, saying, “Let’s not do that again.”
In the days before Perry’s death, his assistant was reportedly giving the actor “at least six shots” of ketamine daily. In mid-October, Iwamasa also allegedly started sourcing ketamine from Perry’s acquaintance, Fleming, and from Jasveen Sangha, known as the “Ketamine Queen.”
Assistant Injected Ketamine to Friends Star
On 28 October 2023, Iwamasa administered “at least three shots” of ketamine to the Friends star, leading to his death and severe bodily harm. Iwamasa was the one who discovered Perry dead in his California home.
The prosecutor stated that the defendants sent messages referring to ketamine as the cause of Perry’s death shortly after it occurred.
During a press conference announcing the charges, Mr. Estrada revealed that the defendants also attempted to conceal their involvement in supplying the actor with the drug.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Perry’s death resulted from the acute effects of ketamine, a sedative used both recreationally and as a treatment for depression.
In May, police announced they were collaborating with federal authorities to investigate the source of the ketamine consumed by the 54-year-old actor.
According to a post-mortem report released in December, Perry had been receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety, with his last session occurring over a week before his death. The report noted that the ketamine levels found in his blood were consistent with those used for general anesthesia during surgery.
The actor had been candid about his struggles with substance abuse and addiction and had established a sober living facility for men facing similar challenges.
