The death of Matthew Perry has led to multiple arrests and criminal charges. The US Attorney’s Office announced that five individuals have been charged in connection with Perry’s death, which occurred in October 2023.
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On October 28, 2023, Matthew Perry was found unresponsive in a jacuzzi at his home in Pacific Palisades, California.
The Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office later determined that Perry’s death was caused by the effects of ketamine.
Matthew Perry had a well-documented history of battling substance abuse, a struggle he openly discussed in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.
His addiction issues, which began in the late 1990s after being prescribed Vicodin following a jet ski accident escalated to the point where he was consuming up to 55 pills a day at one stage.
The investigation into Perry’s death was conducted by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the US Postal Inspection Service focused on uncovering the origins of the drugs found in Perry’s system.
Investigators discovered an underground network of drug sellers and suppliers, leading to the arrest of five individuals allegedly responsible for distributing the ketamine that contributed to Perry’s death.
Jasveen Sangha, a 41-year-old alleged drug dealer has been identified as the main figure in ketamine distribution network.
Authorities allege that she supplied the ketamine that led to Matthew Perry’s death. Sangha is accused of selling 50 vials of ketamine to Perry for approximately $11,000. Her home in North Hollywood was described as a drug-selling emporium by Martin Estrada, the US attorney for California’s Central District.
During a search of her residence, law enforcement discovered over 80 vials of ketamine along with thousands of other pills including methamphetamine, cocaine and Xanax. A handgun was also found on the premises.
Sangha primarily catered to the rich and famous, dealing mostly with celebrities and high-end clients. She is alleged to have been a major source of ketamine for Matthew Perry and others in Hollywood.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, one of the medical professionals charged in connection with Perry’s death and it is accused of grossly exploiting the actor’s addiction.
Text messages revealed that Dr. Plasencia referred to Matthew Perry as a moron and expressed interest in becoming his primary drug supplier.
Matthew Perry allegedly paid Dr. Plasencia around $2,000 for vials of ketamine that typically cost about $12 each.
Over the course of September and October 2023, Perry purchased 20 vials of ketamine from Dr. Plasencia amounting to a total of $55,000.
Dr. Plasencia allegedly taught Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, how to inject the drug.
Dr. Plasencia administered a large dose of ketamine to Perry in a public parking lot. The injection caused Perry to freeze up and his blood pressure spiked, prompting the doctor to comment, “Let’s not do that again.”
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Dr. Mark Chavez, another accused co-conspirator allegedly sold 10 vials of ketamine to Dr. Plasencia knowing that they were intended for Perry. These vials were part of the supply that led to the actor’s death.
Matthew Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa was the person who discovered the actor’s lifeless body in the hot tub. However his involvement in the case goes much deeper.
Iwamasa, who had no formal medical training allegedly administered more than 20 shots of ketamine to Perry in the four days leading up to his death including three injections on the day of the actor’s passing.
Iwamasa was instructed by Dr. Plasencia on how to administer the drug making him an integral part of the chain of events that led to Perry’s death.
Iwamasa was charged in July with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death and serious bodily injury, to which he has since pleaded guilty.
Jasveen Sangha is reported to have sent a message to another suspect instructing them to delete all our messages.
Eric Fleming, who has pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute drugs unlawfully also played a role in the cover-up attempts.
He allegedly communicated with Sangha expressing confidence that everyone is protected and inquiring about whether ketamine remains in the system or is quickly flushed out.
Coded language such as referring to ketamine as Dr Pepper, bots or cans was reportedly used by those involved in the conspiracy to avoid detection.
Dr. Plasencia allegedly falsified medical records in an attempt to legitimize the drugs administered to Matthew Perry. These records were likely to shield him and others from legal consequences following the actor’s death.
Out of the five individuals charged, three have reached plea agreements with prosecutors. The nature of these agreements suggests cooperation with authorities which may have influenced the charges and potential sentencing.
The investigation also revealed that Sangha was allegedly connected to another overdose death that occurred in 2019.
The victim was Cody McLaury, died after purchasing ketamine from Sangha. According to court documents, a family member of McLaury had texted Sangha informing her that the ketamine she sold had caused his death.
The message read, “The ketamine you sold my brother killed him. It’s listed as the cause of death.”
Shortly after receiving this message, Sangha reportedly searched online for information on whether ketamine could be listed as a cause of death. She is expected to face charges related to McLaury’s death as well.
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