Among the five people charged by federal prosecutors in connection with actor Matthew Perry’s death, the two lead defendants are a licensed physician and a drug dealer from North Hollywood, the US Attorney’s Office confirmed Thursday.
Jasveen Sangha, known as the “Ketamine Queen” and Salvador Plasencia, whose nickname is Dr P, were charged in an 18-count superseding indictment with distributing ketamine to Perry during the final weeks of the actor’s life.
Perry, 54, was found face down in the heated end of a pool at his Pacific Palisades, California home on October 28, 2023.
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The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office attributed his death to the acute effects of ketamine, an anaesthetic with psychedelic properties.
What we know about the ‘Ketamine Queen’
Jasveen Sangha, 41, is a dual US and UK citizen who lives in North Hollywood and has been selling ketamine and other drugs for years, according to federal prosecutors.
A major underground seller, Sangha is better known as the “Ketamine Queen.”
She has been 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.
In 2019, Sangha sold ketamine to another customer, the US Attorney alleged.
That person died on the same day.
After reading news reports of Perry’s death, Sangha allegedly wrote a text message to another defendant, saying: “Delete all our messages.”
Sangha appeared in federal court in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
A judge ordered her to be held without bail, saying she was a flight risk.
If convicted, Sangha could face life imprisonment.
What we know about ‘Dr P’
According to the indictment, the events leading to Perry’s death began in September when Santa Monica doctor Salvador Plasencia, 42, learned Perry wanted ketamine.
Plasencia went on to provide ketamine to Perry and his assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, 59.
Between September and October 2023, Plasencia distributed about 20 vials of ketamine to Perry in exchange for $US55,000 ($A83,000) in cash, the US Attorney’s Office said.
“I wonder how much this moron will pay,” Plasencia wrote in a text message about Perry, according to the US Attorney’s Office.
Plasencia tried to be Perry’s sole source of ketamine supply, federal officials said.
Plasencia was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
He appeared in court on Thursday and pleaded not guilty. His bond was set at $100,000.
Plasencia’s next hearing is scheduled for August 28.
If convicted, he could face 120 years in federal prison.
Who else has been charged?
After learning Perry wanted ketamine, Plasencia reached out to another doctor, Mark Chavez, of San Diego, who had owned a ketamine clinic.
Soon the two physicians were discussing how much to charge Perry for the drug.
Chavez, 54, agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and admitted to selling ketamine to Plasencia, according to prosecutors.
Plasencia also provided ketamine to Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, 59.
Plasencia repeatedly injected Perry with the drug himself and also instructed Iwamasa on how to do it, the indictment says.
In mid-October, Iwamasa sought an additional source of ketamine for his troubled boss.
He reached out to an acquaintance of Perry’s, Erik Fleming, who then reached out to the “ketamine queen”, Sangha.
She began providing the drugs to Perry through Fleming, and he co-ordinated the sales with Iwamasa, the indictment says.
On October 28, Iwamasa injected Perry with at least three shots of ketamine using syringes provided by Plasencia.
Iwamasa pleaded guilty on August 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing a death.
He admitted to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, including on the day the actor died, according to prosecutors.
Fleming, 54, pleaded guilty on August 8 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death.
He admitted to distributing the ketamine that killed Perry — drugs that he received from Sangha, according to prosecutors.
Perry had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy to treat depression and anxiety, but his last session took place more than a week before his death.
The medical examiner noted that the ketamine in Perry’s system “could not be from that infusion therapy” given its short half-life.
The levels of ketamine in his body were high — equivalent to the amount used for general anaesthesia during surgery, according to the medical examiner.
The coroner ultimately ruled his death an accident.
Perry had been open about his lengthy struggles with opioid addiction and alcoholism, which he chronicled in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.
The family of Dateline correspondent Keith Morrison, who is Perry’s stepfather, said in a statement they welcomed the news of the law enforcement action.
“We were and still are heartbroken by Matthew’s death, but it has helped to know law enforcement has taken his case very seriously,” the family said.
“We look forward to justice taking its course.”
