Matthew Perry death scandal: five people arrested for supplying actor with ketamine

On Thursday, federal authorities announced the arrest of five people in connection with the death of actor Matthew Perry, known for his role as Chandler Bing on the "Friends" series. Perry was found unconscious in his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023. The cause of death was determined to be "acute effects of ketamine," a controlled drug Perry was taking as part of supervised therapy.

Among those arrested are Jasveen Sangha, a drug dealer known as the "ketamine queen," and doctors Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez. They are all accused of providing ketamine to Perry during the months of September and October 2023. Also arrested were Eric Fleming, an acquaintance of Perry, and Kenneth Iwamasa, his personal assistant.

Details of the indictments and charges.

Court documents filed in a California federal court reveal that Iwamasa and Fleming, along with doctors Sangha and Plasencia, coordinated to obtain tens of thousands of dollars worth of ketamine for Perry, who had struggled with substance abuse for years. Perry paid approximately $55,000 for 20 vials of ketamine, while Sangha sold 50 vials to the actor for about $11,000. Prosecutors also indicated that Plasencia and Chavez charged up to $2,000 per vial, although the actual cost was approximately $12.

Sangha and Plasencia face conspiracy charges for distributing ketamine, distribution of the drug resulting in death, possession with intent to distribute, and tampering with and falsifying records. Sangha, 41, could receive a sentence of 10 years to life in prison, while Plasencia, 42, faces up to 30 years in prison.

Kenneth Iwamasa pled guilty to conspiracy for distributing the ketamine that caused Perry's death, admitting that he injected him with at least 27 doses in the five days before his death. Eric Fleming also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine and admitted obtaining 50 vials from Sangha and delivering half to Iwamasa four days before Perry's death.

During the investigation, Los Angeles Police (LAPD) worked closely with federal authorities to trace the source of the ketamine. Searches were conducted and various evidence was seized. In late May, federal charges were announced against several people involved, including a licensed physician.

The investigation has also pointed to possible connections to other celebrities involved in this illegal drug distribution network. So far, the names of these figures have not been disclosed.