Matthew Perry’s tragic death on 28 October last year at the age of 54, shook the world with millions of fans and his fellow actors mourning what seemed to be an accidental ketamine overdose at the time. However, new reports of the investigation of the case led to new details behind the actor’s tragic demise.
Matthew Perry’s Death Investigation Unveiled Shocking Details
Matthew Perry. Image Credit: Policy Exchange/CC BY 2.0
Matthew Perry was found dead in the hot tub of his home in Los Angeles with traces of ketamine found in his system. “At the high levels of ketamine found in his postmortem blood specimens, the main lethal effects would be from both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression,” the medical examiner’s toxicology report stated at the time (via Variety).
However, the investigation into his passing has led to the arrest of five in an organized “broad underground criminal network,” including his assistant and doctor. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada detailed the case in the following quote with her announcement:
“This network included a live-in assistant, various go-betweens, two medical doctors and a major source of drug supply known as ‘The Ketamine Queen.’ These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry’s addiction issues to enrich themselves. They knew what they were doing was wrong. They knew what they were doing was risking great danger to Mr. Perry, but they did it anyways. In the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr. Perry than caring for his well being.”
Dr. Salvador Plasencia and drug trafficker Jasveen Sangha are the primary defendants in a case involving the illegal acquisition and sale of ketamine. They collaborated with Dr. Mark Chavez, Kenneth Iwamasa, who was the live-in assistant of Perry, and a broker named Erik Fleming. This group was responsible for obtaining ketamine, which was then sold to Perry. Chavez, Iwamasa, and Fleming have all pleaded guilty to various charges in connection with the case.
The Role of ‘The Ketamine Queen’ And The Doctor In Matthew Perry’s Death
Matthew Perry. Image Credit: CBS
Plasencia and his associates distributed around 20 vials of ketamine to Perry over two months in the fall of 2023, receiving $55,000 in cash from the actor. In a text message, Plasencia mocked Perry, saying, “I wonder how much this moron will pay.”
Plasencia once injected Perry with ketamine, causing him to “freeze up and his blood pressure spike,” but still left more vials for Iwamasa, who lacked medical training, to administer. Despite acknowledging to another patient that Perry “was spiraling out of control with his addiction,” Plasencia continued supplying him with ketamine.
According to Variety, Plasencia and Sangha first appeared Thursday in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. U.S. Magistrate Judge Alka Sagar ordered Sangha detained without bond, while bond was set at $100,000 for Plasencia. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. Plasencia is reportedly sentenced to a maximum of 120 years in federal prison.
As per The Drug Enforcement Administration, the doctors took advantage of Perry by overcharging up to $2,000 for a vial that cost Dr. Chavez approximately $12. But eventually, the actor’s addiction worsened and he looked for other ways to obtain the drug.
Sangha who goes by the name of The Ketamine Queen reportedly sold a batch of ketamine that eventually led to the FRIENDS actor’s death while Plasencia falsified the medical records and attempted to make it look legitimate. At the press conference DEA administrator Anne Milgram said:
“Matthew Perry’s journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday, and it ended with street dealers who sold him ketamine in unmarked vials. The desperation that led Perry to these individuals was not met with help as it should have been from the doctors, but instead it was met with exploitation.”
When the investigators searched Sangha’s home, they found a “drug-selling emporium” with 80 vials of ketamine, thousands of pills, methamphetamine and cocaine. Reportedly, she is facing a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison.
