'Ketamine Queen,' personal assistant, 3 others indicted in Matthew Perry's death

Aug. 15 (UPI) -- The Justice Department said Thursday a woman known as "Ketamine Queen," Matthew Perry's personal assistant, two doctors and one other person have been indicted and charged in the actor's death.

Perry's personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, the DOJ said, performed "multiple injections on Perry on October 28, 2023 -- the day Perry died."

The U.S. Justice Department said in a statement that Jasveen Sangha, 41, aka ,"The Ketamine Queen" of North Hollywood, and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 42, aka "Dr. P" of Santa Monica, were charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine.

Sangha also faces charges of maintaining drug-involved premises, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine.

Plasencia is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records.

"Today we announce charges brought against the five individuals who, together, are responsible for the death of Matthew Perry," said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram in a statement. "We allege each of the defendants played a key role in his death by falsely prescribing, selling or injecting the ketamine that caused Matthew Perry's tragic death.

Milgram said Perry's journey started with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust "because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials."

U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement, "These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being. Drug dealers selling dangerous substances are gambling with other people's lives over greed."

The three other defendants charged separately have already pleaded guilty in the case.

In addition to Iwamasa, 59, they are Eric Fleming, 54, of Hawthorne, and Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, of San Diego.

The Justice Department said Fleming pleaded guilty on Aug. 8 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Fleming admitted in court documents that he distributed the ketamine that killed Perry.

According to the DOJ, Fleming also admitted to getting the ketamine from Sangha and said he distributed 50 vials of ketamine to Perry's personal live-in assistant.

Iwamasa, who allegedly conspired with other defendants "to illegally obtain ketamine and distribute it to Perry," pleaded guilty Aug. 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. He admitted to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, according to the DOJ.

Chavez has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, according to the DOJ. Some of the ketamine he supplied for Perry was diverted from his former ketamine clinic.

Chavez built an online brand called "The Health MD," describing himself as a medical doctor and longevity coach.

Of the three who have already pleaded guilty, Iwamasa and Fleming face up to 15 years and 25 years, respectively, when they're sentenced.

Chavez, who will be arraigned Aug. 30, faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

If convicted on all charges, Sangha would face a mandatory 10 years in prison and a statutory maximum of life imprisonment.

Plasencia would face up to 10 years in prison on each ketamine-related count and up to 20 years for each records falsification count.

Police have been working with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration to investigate Perry's death, including the source of the ketamine in his system when he was found dead.

Perry died Oct. 28 after being discovered unconscious in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home.

He had reportedly been getting ketamine infusions to treat depression and anxiety. But autopsy results showed levels of ketamine in Perry's blood far higher than therapeutic doses, equivalent to the amount of the drug used during general anesthesia.

Perry played Chandler on the NBC sitcom Friends and had a history of alcohol and opioid addiction that he wrote about in his 2022 book Friends, Lovers and The Big Terrible Thing.

At the time of his death, it was believed he had drowned, with no sign of foul play.