Earlier this week, police announced that five people had been charged and arrested in connection to the death of Matthew Perry.
The beloved Friends star died on October 28, 2023, after being found unresponsive in his hot tub at his Los Angeles home.
Several weeks later, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office reported that the actor had passed from “acute effects of ketamine”.
On Thursday, US Attorney Martin Estrada told reporters, per ABC News: “These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry’s addiction issues to enrich themselves. They knew what they were doing was risking great danger to Mr. Perry, but they did it anyway.”
The individuals charged are Dr. Salvador Plasencia, Dr. Mark Chavez, Jasveen Sangha, Kenneth Iwamasa, and Erik Fleming.
They have been described as “greedy and reckless” by authorities, who “took advantage” of the 17 Again actor as he was undergoing “ketamine infusion therapy” for “depression and anxiety”, per the New York Post.
Here’s what we know about those charged…
Who is Dr. Salvador Plasencia?
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 42, has been accused of exploiting Perry out of thousands of dollars to feed his ketamine addiction.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia has been charged in connection to Perry’s death. Credit: Malibu Canyon Urgent Care
A medical school graduate from University of California, Los Angeles, Plasencia has never faced any disciplinary measures, ABC 7 reports.
DEA administrator Anne Milgram said on Thursday that Perry first reached out to Dr. Plasencia after his physicians refused to increase the dosage for his ketamine infusion therapy.
An attorney for the Santa Monica-based doctor claims Plasencia did not break the law, adding: “At the end of the day, Dr. Plasencia was providing medical treatment to Mr. Perry. He was operating in good faith under what he believed was his duty.”
However, prosecutors claim that Plasencia worked alongside Perry’s personal line-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa and Dr. Mark Chavez to supply Perry with roughly 20 vials of ketamine in the two months leading up to the actor’s tragic death.
Court documents claim that they charged Perry approximately $55,000 for the drug, which the New York Post costs just $12 per vial.
In a text message shared in the court documents, Plasencia allegedly texted Chavez saying: “I wonder how much this moron will pay”.
Referring to that message, Civil Trial Attorney Tre Lovell said: “That just shows evil, that is clearly not a medicinal text, that is a text of an opportunist who just wants to make money.”
Despite having no medical training, Iwamasa is accused of administering the drugs under the instruction of Dr. Plasencia.
But around two weeks before Perry’s death, court filings state that the actor reportedly suffered an episode that saw him “freeze up” following a “large dose”. After Perry’s blood pressure soared, Dr. Plasencia allegedly text Iwamasa to say: “Let’s not do that again.”
However, the doctor still left several vials of the drug with Perry and Iwamasa after the incident, per BBC News.
Following his arrest on Thursday, Plasencia was 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 related to the federal investigation into Perry’s death.
Plasencia pleaded not guilty and was later released on a $100,000 bond.
Prosecutors say Plasencia is facing a maximum of 120 years in prison.
Who is Dr. Mark Chavez?
Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, graduated from UCLA medical school in 2004 and completed his residency at Stony Brook University Hospital on Long Island, New York, per MedPageToday.
Court documents show that he also had not faced any disciplinary actions throughout his career, and had previously worked with Dreamscape Ketamine and Dreamscape Ketamine and Wellness up until July 2023. The clinic offered patients ketamine treatments with prices of up to $800.
Dr. Chavez has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
As part of his plea agreement, prosecutors state that he has admitted to selling ketamine to Dr. Plasencia, including vials diverted from Dreamscape. This ketamine was then allegedly passed on to Iwamasa for Perry’s use.
Dr. Chavez has also admitted to falsifying statements on forms, saying the drug would not be sold to a third party or distributed or used for any other purpose.
NBC Los Angeles reports that Chavez is scheduled to be arraigned on August 30 and faces 10 years in prison.
Who is Kenneth Iwamasa?
Kenneth Iwamasa had worked for Perry as his live-in assistant since 1994, per The New York Post.
In the final five days of the Friends star’s life, prosecutors state that Iwamasa had administered at least 27 shots of ketamine to Perry – with the final three leading to the actor’s “death and serious bodily injury”.
Iwamasa has now pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death.
Court documents state that, on the day of Perry’s death, Perry asked his 59-year-old assistant for multiple doses.
After the first dose, Iwamasa gave Perry another one four hours later. And then another 40 minutes after that.
The personal assistant claims that, before the third and final injection, the 17 Again star told him: “Shoot me up with a big one” – before instructing Iwamasa to prepare the hot tub, per the New York Post.
Iwamasa then left the actor while he ran errands.
As part of his plea agreement, Iwamasa has claimed that Perry asked him to obtain ketamine in exchange for “money, or promised to reimburse him”.
The actor also allegedly “directed him to find sources from whom to acquire the drugs”.
The Department of Justice states that prosecutors say Iwamasa “admitted to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, including performing multiple injections on Perry on October 28, 2023 — the day Perry died.”
After pleading guilty, Iwamasa is now facing up to 15 years in prison, per ABC News.
Who is ‘Ketamine Queen’ Jasveen Sangha?
As well as the two doctors, authorities say that Perry later turned to Jasveen Sangha for vials of ketamine.
ABC 7 reports that the so-called “Ketamine Queen” supplied vials at a cheaper price, with prosecutors claiming that Sangha sold 50 vials for $11,000.
Jasveen Sangha. Credit: @jasveen_s/Instagram
US Attorney Martin Estrada says that a search of Sangha’s home in the aftermath of Perry’s death revealed a “drug-selling emporium”, with methamphetamine, cocaine, scales and ledgers all being found alongside ketamine.
Estrada has claimed that the dose that resulted in Perry’s death was supplied by Sangha.
Sangha is known for posting about her lavish lifestyle and vacations on social media, and shared photos of a trip to Japan on November 8, 2023 – less than two weeks after Perry was pronounced dead.
The 41-year-old also took a trip to Mexico in February this year.
Her Instagram bio describes her as a “Curator” in the areas of “Art, Events, and Music”.
Per The Independent, Sangha is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, 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, and five counts of distribution of ketamine.
Sangha has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against her.
She remains in jail after having her bond revoked.
Sangha faces a maximum of life in prison, prosecutors said. Her next hearing will take place in October.
Who is Erik Fleming?
Erik Fleming is an acquaintance of Perry and is accused of communicating with Iwamasa in order to supply the actor with drugs.
Prosecutors say 54-year-old Fleming obtained vials of ketamine from Sangha and distributed them to his personal assistant.
Officials claim that Fleming sold 50 vials to Perry, via Iwamasa, including 25 handed over four days before the actor’s death.
On the day of Perry’s death, the indictment claims that Sangha messaged Fleming on Signal, writing: “Delete all our messages”.
“Yes”, Fleming replied.
Two days later, Fleming then messaged Sangha saying, per court documents: “Please call… Got more info and want to bounce ideas off you. I’m 90% sure everyone is protected. I never dealt with (Perry) only his assistant. So the assistant was the enabler.”
Fleming has since pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death.
He faces 25 years in prison.
