The California Department of Justice has filed charges against five individuals related to the death of Matthew Perry, who passed away last October. Those charged include a former film director, two physicians, his live-in aide, and a drug dealer known locally as “The Ketamine Queen” from North Hollywood.

Perry, famous for his role in “Friends,” was discovered unresponsive in the jacuzzi at his Los Angeles residence on October 28, 2023. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner later determined that his death was primarily due to “the acute effects of ketamine,” a potent anesthetic that can cause hallucinations. The autopsy also noted drowning, heart disease, and the influence of buprenorphine as contributing factors. No medications or drugs were found near the pool area.

During a press conference on Thursday, Martin Estrada, the U.S. Attorney for California’s Central District, revealed the charges against the five individuals involved, stating they were aware their actions were illegal and tried to conceal their wrongdoing. He emphasized that the defendants prioritized profit over Perry’s health and cautioned others against similar illegal behavior.

“Ketamine is a drug that should only be handled by licensed medical personnel, with close monitoring of the patient. That was clearly not the case here,” he underscored. “These defendants acted recklessly, putting lives at risk just like they did with Mr. Perry.”

The co-defendants reportedly utilized encrypted messaging apps and code words to arrange drug transactions, often referring to bottles of ketamine as “Dr. Pepper,” “cans,” and “bots.”

What charges have been filed?

The DOJ has charged 42-year-old physician Salvador Plasencia and 41-year-old Jasveen Sangha with 18 counts stemming from their alleged distribution of ketamine to Perry in the weeks leading up to his death.

YSL News has requested a comment from Sangha’s legal representative, and there have been no recent updates regarding Plasencia’s legal counsel.

Additionally, three other defendants, identified as co-conspirators, have already pleaded guilty. This group includes Perry’s live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, age 59, along with Dr. Mark Chavez and movie producer Eric Fleming, both age 54.

Who is the ‘Ketamine Queen’ of North Hollywood?

Sangha, referred to as “The Ketamine Queen” in the DOJ indictment, allegedly operated out of her home in Los Angeles, where she stored and distributed various narcotics including ketamine and methamphetamine.

Authorities claim that Sangha, with support from Fleming, sold the ketamine that Perry ingested. Following Perry’s death, she reportedly messaged Fleming on the Signal app instructing him to “delete all our messages” and altered the app settings to automatically erase their exchanges, as outlined in the indictment obtained by YSL News.

A search warrant later executed by the Los Angeles Police Department uncovered approximately 79 vials of ketamine at Sangha’s residence.

In March, U.S attorneys filed a claim against Sangha for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and the federal case was updated with a new indictment naming Plasencia as well.

Who is Dr. Salvador Plasencia?

Dr. Plasencia, nicknamed “Dr. P” by the DOJ, is a licensed medical doctor in California.

He was permitted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, alongside fellow physician Chavez, to prescribe and dispense controlled substances for legitimate medical reasons. However, he allegedly provided these chemicals without any proper justification, according to the indictment.

It is reported that he became aware of Perry’s desire for ketamine last September and asked Chavez to supply it to him. Text messages extracted in the investigation show that Plasencia allegedly remarked, “I wonder how much this moron will pay” and suggested, “Let’s find out,” as per the indictment.

The DOJ alleges Plasencia

He also gave instructions and syringes for Perry’s use. It is claimed that he ordered 10 vials of ketamine, despite having told a patient at his clinic just a few days earlier that the actor was “too far gone and spiraling in his addiction.”

Who is filmmaker Erik Flemming?

Eric Fleming is known to Perry and lives in Hawthorne, a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, as indicated in the indictment.

A former director in Hollywood, Fleming was behind the 1999 family comedy “My Brother the Pig,” which featured Scarlett Johansson and Eva Mendes. He also produced the first season of the reality series “The Surreal Life” in 2003 and directed the 1999 road movie “Tyrone,” starring Coolio and Kevin Connolly from “Entourage.”

According to the indictment, on October 13, 2023, Fleming drove to Sangha’s North Hollywood stash house to acquire a ketamine sample, which was in an unlabeled clear glass vial with a blue top.

Earlier this month, Fleming admitted guilt to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and another count for distributing ketamine resulting in death. He could face up to 25 years in prison.

Who is Dr. Mark Chavez?

Chavez is a licensed physician in California who previously ran a ketamine clinic, according to the DOJ.

On September 30, he is said to have confirmed the sale of ketamine to Plasencia while writing a fake prescription for an unnamed victim without their knowledge or consent, as stated in the indictment.

The DOJ has confirmed that Chavez has also agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. His arraignment is set for August 30, with a potential sentence of up to 10 years.

Who is Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s assistant?

Iwamasa resides in Los Angeles County and has been serving as Perry’s live-in assistant, providing continuous care as a caregiver.

This 59-year-old is alleged to have injected Perry with multiple doses of ketamine that he obtained from Fleming and Sangha, according to the indictment.

Earlier this month, Iwamasa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, facing up to 15 years in prison.