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Indictment: Dr. P called Matthew Perry a ‘moron,’ sourced drugs from ‘Ketamine Queen’
After “Friends” star Matthew Perry was found dead in a hot tub at his Pacific Palisades, California home in October 2023, an autopsy revealed that he died at 54 from “acute effects of ketamine.” This event has prompted Los Angeles authorities and federal agencies to investigate the source or sources of the drugs he received in the weeks leading up to his death.
On Thursday, federal prosecutors unsealed a case against five defendants, including two doctors, an alleged drug dealer nicknamed the “Ketamine Queen,” a drug distributor, and Perry’s “live-in personal assistant.” The distributor and assistant have already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death while the second doctor has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Dr. Salvador “Dr. P” Plasencia, 42, “Ketamine Queen” Jasveen Sangha, 41, Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, Erik Fleming, 54, and Perry’s assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, 59, were charged in relation to the ketamine distribution. The indictment centers on the charges against Plasencia and Sangha while outlining the roles of Chavez, Fleming, and Iwamasa.
“These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. “Drug dealers selling dangerous substances are gambling with other people’s lives over greed. This case, alongside our other prosecutions of drug-dealers who cause death, sends a clear message that we will hold drug dealers accountable for fatalities.”
Perry’s autopsy concluded that the ketamine concentration in his blood was sufficient to be used as general anesthesia during surgery. The drowning was determined to be a secondary cause of death.
The indictment alleges that on September 30, 2023, Plasencia texted co-conspirator Chavez about selling ketamine to Perry, making light of Perry’s substance abuse history by asking, “I wonder how much this moron will pay. Let’s find out.”
Plasencia also texted Perry directly to confirm plans to leave vials of ketamine with the actor for self-administration. At one point, Plasencia allegedly injected Perry with ketamine at his home and gave Iwamasa instructions on how to administer further doses.
In a follow-up message to Chavez, Plasencia remarked on the potential for “repeat business” if Perry’s initial ketamine session went well.
The case also spotlights Sangha, who allegedly knew the dangers of ketamine but continued her distribution business. She had previously sold ketamine to Cody McLaury, who died of an overdose within a day of the transaction in 2019. After learning of McLaury’s death through a message from his family, Sangha conducted a Google search on whether ketamine could be listed as a cause of death, court documents reveal.
Despite this knowledge, Sangha continued to operate a stash house in North Hollywood, where she stored, packaged, and distributed narcotics, including ketamine. She allegedly provided the ketamine to Fleming, who then sold it to Perry via Iwamasa.
After hearing of Perry’s death on the news, Sangha contacted Fleming on Signal, adjusting the app settings to automatically delete messages. She instructed Fleming, “Delete all our messages,” according to the indictment. This exchange included a screenshot of their conversation.
Fleming subsequently messaged Sangha, saying, “Please call … Got more info and want to bounce ideas off you.” He expressed confidence in their safety, stating, “I’m 90% sure everyone is protected. I never dealt with [Victim M.P.]. Only his Assistant. So the Assistant was the enabler.” He also queried about the persistence of ketamine in the system, asking, “Does K stay in your system or is it immediately flushed out[?]”
The indictment details the potential penalties each defendant faces. Sangha could face up to life in prison if convicted, Plasencia faces possible decades of incarceration, while Iwamasa and Fleming risk 15 to 25 years. Chavez faces up to 10 years.
