Five people, including two doctors, a known drug dealer and the actor’s assistant, have been charged in connection with Matthew Perry’s unexpected overdose.
In October 2023, Matthey Perry was found unconscious in his swimming pool at his home in Pacific Palisades. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner concluded that Perry’s death was due to an overdose of ketamine, a powerful anesthetic with hallucinogenic effects.
According to an 18-count indictment, Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s assistant, obtained ketamine from Jasveen Sangha, a North Hollywood drug dealer. Iwamasa injected Perry the day of his death using a syringe given to him by Dr. Salvador Plasencia. Following their recent arrest, Sangha and Plasencia were charged with plotting to distribute ketamine. Sangha was also charged with other drug offenses.
Iwamasa admitted to injecting Perry without medical expertise and pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute ketamine, which led to Perry’s death. Another doctor in the case, Dr. Mark Chavez, agreed to plead guilty to selling Plasencia ketamine, including drugs taken from his clinic. Sangha claims that Erik Fleming, an assistant to Perry, is suspected of distributing the deadly ketamine.
Perry’s family expressed their deep relief and said they were encouraged by the seriousness of the investigation.
The investigation revealed that the level of ketamine in Perry’s system was dangerously high, well above the usual levels for his prescribed therapy. Despite his struggle with addiction, Perry had been clean for 19 months before his death.
This case follows similar, high-profile drug-related investigations, such as those following the deaths of Michael Jackson and Michael K. Williams.
