2 doctors among those charged in Matthew Perry's death
Constitutional law attorney Katie Cherkasky and former DEA special operations director Derek Maltz say the doctors should be held to a higher standard as they are facing charges for providing ketamine to Matthew Perry.
Matthew Perry's assistant and alleged drug dealers attempted to cover up the "Friends" star's ketamine overdose in the days after his death.
Perry's assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, along with middleman Erik Fleming and "Ketamine Queen" Jasveen Sangha, worked to get rid of evidence showing the actor was injected multiple times with ketamine provided by the trio on Oct. 28, according to a plea agreement obtained by Fox News Digital.
Fleming and the "Ketamine Queen" first attempted to cover up their involvement in Perry's death immediately after learning the news, according to the court documents. During a call on Oct. 28, Sangha and Fleming discussed distancing themselves from the drug deal by "deleting digital evidence" from their cellphones.
Five people were arrested and charged in Matthew Perry's death, including his assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, and Jasveen Sangha, aka the "Ketamine Queen," who allegedly attempted to cover up her involvement in his death. (Getty Images/MEGA)
Sangha instructed Fleming to delete all text messages shared between the two and updated Signal – an encrypted messaging app – settings to automatically delete messages, the court docs read.
Fleming and Perry's personal assistant spoke on the phone on Oct. 30, two days after Perry's death. Iwamasa revealed he had "cleaned up the scene" by getting rid of the syringes and ketamine vials, according to the plea agreement.
MATTHEW PERRY'S FINAL HOURS INCLUDED ALLEGED DEMAND TO ASSISTANT: ‘SHOOT ME UP WITH A BIG ONE’
Iwamasa also claimed he had "deleted everything." Fleming seemingly placed blame on Iwamasa in text messages to the "Ketamine Queen."
"Please call... Got more info and want to bounce ideas off you," the middleman wrote in a text message included in the plea agreement. "I'm 90% sure everyone is protected. I never dealt with [Victim M.P.]. Only his Assistant. So the Assistant was the enabler. Also are they doing a 3 month tox screening ... Does K stay in your system or is it immediately flushed out?"
Kenneth Iwamasa, Matthew's assistant, allegedly sourced and injected Perry's fatal dose of ketamine. (APEX/MEGA)
Jasveen Sangha, aka the "Ketamine Queen," was arrested and charged with multiple offenses in Matthew Perry's death. (Jojo Korsh/BFA.com/Shutterstock)
The ketamine allegedly provided by Sangha and delivered to Iwamasa by Fleming killed Perry on Oct. 28.
That morning, Perry's assistant administered a shot of ketamine to the actor around 8:30. By 12:45 p.m., Perry had instructed Iwamasa to give him another injection while the "Friends" star watched a movie. Roughly 40 minutes later, Perry requested another injection, allegedly telling Iwamasa, "Shoot me up with a big one," according to the plea agreement.
"I'm 90% sure everyone is protected. I never dealt with [Victim M.P.]. Only his Assistant. So the Assistant was the enabler. Also are they doing a 3 month tox screening ... Does K stay in your system or is it immediately flushed out?"
Alleged drug dealer Erik Fleming described the ketamine available to Perry and his assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, in texts shown in Sangha's indictment. (United States Attorney's Office)
The live-in assistant administered a third injection to Perry while the 54-year-old was near or in a Jacuzzi. Iwamasa then left the home to run errands for Perry. When he returned, the assistant found Perry "face down" in the Jacuzzi, deceased.
- Oct. 10 – Iwamasa met Dr. Plasencia in a parking lot in Long Beach, Calif., with Perry sitting in the back seat so that Plasencia could administer one shot of ketamine. On the same day, Iwamasa began looking for alternative sources of ketamine for Perry.
- Oct. 10 – Iwamasa texted Fleming about ketamine prices. Fleming had 10ml vials of the drug for $300 each, and requested a $1,000 broker fee.
- Oct. 13 – Fleming delivered a sample, which Iwamasa said "seems good" and requested "25 vials $5500 @220 +500 for logistics."
- Oct. 14 – Fleming delivered 25 vials of ketamine to Perry’s house, which Iwamasa paid for with $6,000 of Perry’s money.
- Oct. 23 – Iwamasa texted Fleming to purchase more ketamine in the same amount as the week before
- Oct. 24 – Fleming delivered 25 vials of ketamine to Perry’s house, same $6,000 price.
- Oct. 27 – Plasencia texted Iwamasa, "Hi I know you mentioned taking a break. I have been stocking up on the meanwhile. I am not sure when you guys plan to resume but in case its when im out of town this weekend I have left supplies with a nurse of mine."
- Oct. 28 – Perry died.
Perry's death was caused by "acute effects of ketamine," according to his autopsy completed on Oct. 29. Drowning, coronary artery disease and buprenorphine effects were listed as contributing factors.
Fleming allegedly delivered 25 vials of ketamine on Oct. 14 and an additional 25 vials on Oct. 24. Iwamasa used the vials to inject Perry six to eight times a day between Oct. 24 and Oct. 27, the court documents claimed.
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Perry had an adverse reaction to the ketamine injections, given by his assistant with no medical training, multiple times before he died.
Jasveen Sangha, the "Ketamine Queen," rented a home in North Hollywood for the purpose of manufacturing, storing and distributing controlled substances, according to the indictment. (United States Attorney's Office)
Iwamasa found Perry unconscious at least two times at the actor's home throughout the month of October, the assistant's plea agreement read. Iwamasa pleaded guilty on Aug. 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, causing death.
Sangha was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. "The Ketamine Queen" is also charged with 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.
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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. He also agreed to a plea deal.
Some of the ketamine lozenges Iwamasa obtained were from a fraudulent prescription allegedly written by Chavez. (United States Attorney's Office)
Two doctors have also been charged in connection to Perry's death.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a ketamine source, was introduced to Perry by his assistant in September 2023. Plasencia, who obtained ketamine from Dr. Mark Chavez, allegedly taught the assistant how to inject Perry with the drug. Chavez previously ran a ketamine clinic and allegedly submitted a bogus prescription in the name of a former patient to secure the drug.
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Chavez agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine as part of his plea agreement. The San Diego-based doctor admitted to selling ketamine to Plasencia, including ketamine that he had diverted from his former ketamine clinic.
Plasencia pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
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