Two California doctors and an alleged drug dealer are among five people arrested and charged in connection with the ketamine-overdose death of Friends actor Matthew Perry last October, officials announced Thursday.
The defendants arrested Thursday, Jasveen Sangha, 41 (also known as “The Ketamine Queen”) and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 42 (also known as “Dr. P.”) were charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
"The superseding indictment alleges that Sangha’s distribution of ketamine on October 24, 2023, caused Perry’s death" four days later, the office said.
Sangha is also being charged with:
- One count of maintaining a drug-involved premises
- One count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
- One count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine
- Five counts of distribution of ketamine
Plasencia is charged with seven counts of distribution of ketamine along with two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to the federal investigation, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
If convicted of all charges, Sangha could face 10 years to life in prison. Plasencia could face up to 10 years in federal prison for each ketamine-related count and up to 20 years for each count relating to records falsification.
Sangha and Plasencia are expected to be arraigned in court in Los Angeles later Thursday.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada told reporters during a news conference Thursday that the defendants "took advantage of Mr. Perry’s addiction issues."
“They knew what they were doing was wrong,” Estrada said. “These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being."
According to unsealed court documents Thursday, Sangha’s distribution of ketamine caused Perry’s death on Oct. 24, 2023. The documents also revealed that in September 2023, Plasencia learned that Perry, who has had a history of drug addiction, was interested in obtaining ketamine.
Once he learned about Perry’s interest in the drug, Plasencia obtained ketamine to sell to Perry from Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, who pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
In text messages obtained by authorities, Plasencia and Chavez discussed how much to charge the actor for the drug, with Plasencia stating, “I wonder how much this moron will pay.”
Between September and October 2023, authorities say, Plasencia distributed ketamine to Perry and Kenneth Iwamasa, 59, who allegedly injected Perry with the drug on the day he died.
In December, an autopsy report released by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner showed that Perry died from the “acute effects of ketamine.” The 54-year-old was found unresponsive after he drowned in his hot tub at his Los Angeles home.
Perry's drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine — a medication used to treat opioid use disorder — were noted as factors that contributed to his death but were not the primary cause, the autopsy results indicated.
At the time, Perry's death was ruled an accident.
Perry had a history of drug addiction, a struggle he was very open about in his memoir published in 2022. The autopsy noted his past drug use but added that he was "reportedly clean for 19 months."
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