Doctor diverted ketamine from his former clinic to drug dealers, a district court alleges.
A physician and former ketamine clinic operator is among five people facing federal charges in connection with the death of actor Matthew Perry.
Federal investigators say a network of drug dealers, doctors and Perry’s personal assistant conspired to supply large amounts of ketamine to Perry before he died from an overdose on Oct. 28, 2023.
“Today we announce charges brought against the five individuals who, together, are responsible for the death of Matthew Perry,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram in an Aug. 15 news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office. “We allege each of the defendants played a key role in his death by falsely prescribing, selling or injecting the ketamine that caused Matthew Perry’s tragic death.”
Perry’s addiction to ketamine began with greedy doctors who funneled the drugs in unmarked vials to street dealers for a quick payday, Milgram said.
Authorities charged the defendants after a federal jury returned an 18-count indictment on Aug. 14. Those charged include Jasveen Sangha, 41, also known as “The Ketamine Queen,” of North Hollywood, California, Dr. Salvador Plasencia, Erik Fleming, 54, of Hawthorne, California, Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, of San Diego, and Kenneth Iwamasa, 59, of Toluca Lake, California.
Chavez allegedly sold ketamine to Plasencia, including ketamine that he had diverted from his former ketamine clinic. He also obtained additional ketamine to transfer to Plasencia by making false representations to a wholesale ketamine distributor and by submitting a fraudulent prescription in the name of a former patient without that patient’s knowledge or consent.
The two preyed on Perry’s past drug addiction after learning the actor was interested in buying ketamine, according to an unsealed indictment. Plasencia even showed Perry’s assistant, Iwamasa, how to inject Perry with the drug.
Iwamasa allegedly injected Perry with the ketamine that killed him on Oct. 28, 2023.
After learning about Perry’s interest in ketamine, Plasencia allegedly contacted Chavez to obtain ketamine to sell to Perry. In text messages to Chavez, Plasencia discussed how much to charge Perry for the ketamine, stating, “I wonder how much this moron will pay” and “Lets [sic] find out.”