Matthew Perry: Five charged – including two doctors – over ketamine death of Friends star
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One of the doctors accused over the ketamine-related death of troubled Friends star Matthew Perry wrote in a text: “I wonder how much this moron will pay”.
The text was written by Salvador Plasencia, a medical doctor known as “Dr. P”, who is one of five defendants charged in relation to the actor’s death.
Others charged include Jasveen Sangha, known as the “Ketamine Queen”, Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s live-in personal assistant, Erik Fleming, an acquaintance of the TV star, and another doctor, Mark Chavez.
Two of those charged, including one of the doctors, have been arrested, US Attorney Martin Estrada said. Two defendants, including Iwamasa, have pleaded guilty to charges already.
A third has agreed to plead guilty, he said.
It comes after Perry was found dead in a swimming pool at his California home in October 2023.
A grand jury indictment filed in California alleges Plasencia sold ketamine and paraphernalia such as syringes to Perry’s assistant, and taught him how to inject the drug, after the actor developed an addiction while seeking mental health treatment.
Ketamine has seen a huge surge in use, as a treatment for depression, anxiety and pain, in recent years.
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) administrator Anne Milgram said. “Matthew Perry sought treatment for depression and anxiety and went to a local clinic where he became addicted to intravenous ketamine.
“When clinic doctors refused to increase his dosage, he turned to unscrupulous doctors who saw Perry as a way to make quick money.”
Prosecutors allege Plasencia was “charging Perry $2,000 (£1,500) a vial that cost Dr Chavez approximately $12 (£9)”.
Across a two-week period in early October 2023, Plasencia received $32,000 from Iwamasa – including $21,500 in cash – in exchange for ketamine, the indictment claims.
Prosecutors say Perry suffered a health scare on 12 October, when he “froze up” and suffered high blood pressure after being injected with a “large dose” of the tranquiliser. “Let’s not do that again,” ‘Dr. P’ wrote to Iwamasa after the incident.
But in the days leading up to Perry’s death, his assistant was administering “at least six shots” of ketamine to the actor a day, according to the court document.
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Iwamasa injected “at least three shots” of ketamine to the Friends star on 28 October 2023, “resulting in [his] death and serious bodily injury”, it said. Iwamasa is the one who found Perry dead in his California home.
The prosecutor said the defendants exchanged messages referencing ketamine as the cause of Perry’s death soon after it happened.
At a press conference announcing on charges, US Attorney Estrada said they also tried to cover up their involvement in supplying the actor with the drug.
“These defendants took advantage of Mr Perry’s addiction issues to enrich themselves,” Mr Estrada said.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office attributed Perry’s death to the acute effects of ketamine – a sedative that can be used as a recreational drug, as well as to treat depression.
Police said back in May that they were working with federal authorities to investigate the source of the ketamine the 54-year-old actor had consumed.
Later in his career, Perry spoke about suffering addiction issues during his time in Friends. Pic: Reuters
Perry had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy to treat depression and anxiety, but his last session took place more than a week prior to his death, a post-mortem report found in December.
The report said the amount of ketamine in his blood was in the range used for general anaesthetic during surgery.
The star had been open about his battle with substance abuse and addiction, and also set up a sober living facility for men with similar issues.
