Matthew Perry’s Dealer Was Once Scarlett Johansson’s Director, Producer

Among the five people arrested in the investigation surrounding Matthew Perry’s overdose death were a local physician and the actor’s live-in assistant. Additionally, Erik Fleming, an individual listed as Perry’s “acquaintance,” is being charged as a middleman in the lethal ketamine scheme.

The Department of Justice described Fleming’s actions as those of a drug dealer, coordinating with Perry’s assistant and Jasveen Sangha, known as the “Ketamine Queen.” According to the DOJ, “after discussing prices with [co-defendant Kenneth] Iwamasa, Fleming coordinated the drug sales with Sangha and brought cash from Iwamasa to Sangha’s stash house in North Hollywood to buy vials of ketamine.” Fleming reportedly informed Perry’s assistant on October 24, 2023, four days before Perry’s death, that the ketamine was “on its way to our girl,” referring to Sangha.

On August 8, Fleming, 54, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. He admitted to distributing 50 vials of ketamine, including half of them just four days before Perry’s death. Facing up to 25 years in his federal case, Fleming has significant legal challenges ahead.

Erik Fleming did not respond to requests for comment.

While Fleming is listed in the DOJ filing as being “of Hawthorne,” his ties to Hollywood were once much stronger. Fleming was a director, with Scarlett Johansson and Eva Mendes starring in his 1999 children’s fantasy comedy “My Brother the Pig.” He also produced the first season of the reality show “The Surreal Life” in 2003, featuring stars like Cory Feldman, Gabrielle Carteris, Vince Neil, and MC Hammer. Moreover, he produced “Tyrone,” a 1999 road trip movie starring Coolio and Kevin Connolly from “Entourage.”

Fleming co-ran the production company Rich Hippie with Sydney Holland. Holland was one of Sumner Redstone’s live-in girlfriends who ended up with tens of millions of dollars before Redstone’s death, playing a role in the eventual ViacomCBS merger. Holland has since moved to San Diego.

Reportedly, the ailing media mogul significantly funded Rich Hippie, according to a legal complaint by Redstone in 2016. With Fleming taking the role of president of production in 2013, Holland highly praised his abilities. “With his creative vision, experience, and extensive contacts,” Holland told THR at the time, “he is incredibly capable of executing our mission to develop and produce thoughtful and entertaining, quality projects that appeal to a broad range of audiences.” However, Rich Hippie failed to realize many of these productions.

One of their most notable announced projects was a film about a Native American community’s reckoning with drug culture, executive produced alongside Natalie Portman. The film had a limited theatrical release and a rather dismal gross.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter