Multiple people charged in connection to Matthew Perry’s death

Five individualities have been charged in connection with the 2023 death of actor Matthew Perry, according to the US Attorney’s Office.

The charges, blazoned Thursday morning at a press conference in Los Angeles, come after investigators say they uncovered an underground network of medicine merchandisers and suppliers they purport are responsible for distributing the ketamine, a potentially deadly medicine, that killed Perry.

The defendants include two croakers , Perry’s live- in particular adjunct and a person appertained to by authorities as “ The Ketamine Queen, ” according to a press release from the US Attorney’s office.


US Attorney Martin Estrada said the defendants “ took advantage of Mr. Perry’s dependence issues. ”
“ They knew what they were doing was wrong, ” Estrada said.

Three of the five charged have reached a plea agreement.

The other two defendants are Dr. Salvador Plasencia, of Santa Monica, California, and Jasveen Sangha, who Estrada said ran what amounted to “ a medicine dealing bazaar ” in her home were criminated on Wednesday, the US Attorney said.

Plasencia was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to the civil disquisition. He was held on a$ 100,000 relaxed bond and surrendered his DEA license, which allowed him to define controlled substances, on an order from Magistrate Judge Alka Sagar. His trial is set for October 8.

Sangha contended not shamefaced to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of maintaining a medicine- involved demesne, 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.

Magistrate Judge Alka Sagar abandoned a bond Sangha preliminarily had from another charge that was n't participated during court and ordered she remain in detention. Prosecutors argued she's a “ significant threat to flee ” given her expansive transnational trip and binary United States and British citizenship and that she appears to be funding herself through medicine deals.

CNN has reached out to attorneys for Plasencia and Sangha for comment.

The cherished actor who starred as Chandler Bing on “ musketeers ” failed in October 2023 at the age of 54. Perry was set up floating face down in a stage-alone jacuzzi at his Pacific Palisades home. The actor failed as a result of “ acute goods of ketamine ” and posterior drowning, according to the Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office necropsy report.

“ Matthew Perry’s trip began with unconscionable croakers who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday, to road dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials, ” DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said in the press release. “ Every day, the DEA works lifelessly with our civil, state, and original mates to cover the public and to hold responsible those that distribute deadly and dangerous medicines – whether they're original medicine merchandisers or croakers who violate their sworn pledge to watch for cases. ”

CNN has reached out to representatives for Perry’s foundation and his “ musketeers ” castmates for comment on the charges blazoned Thursday.

Police investigators walk along the street where Matthew Perry's house was located the night of his death in October 2023. 

Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

Struggle with addiction

When publicizing the charges on Thursday, Estrada said investigators believe Perry “ fell back into dependence ” in Fall 2023 and noted Perry’s vulnerability as a recovering addict.

Estrada contended that Plasencia worked with Dr. Mark Chavez to supply Perry with Ketamine, which Perry’s adjunct, Kenneth Iwamasa, would fit the actor with despite having no medical training.

Chavez, a 54- time-old croaker from San Diego, “ has agreed to maintain shamefaced to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, ” according to the release.

Iwamasa, a 59- time-old from Toluca Lake, California, contended shamefaced on August 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, the release said. Authorities purport that Iwamasa also “ performed multiple injections on Perry on October 28, 2023 – the day Perry failed. ”

Eric Fleming, 54, of Hawthorne, California, has also contended shamefaced to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine performing in death, according to the US Attorney. Fleming said in court documents that he distributed the ketamine that killed Perry, which Fleming said he attained from Sangha, the press release added.

When reached for comment by CNN, an attorney for Fleming had no comment. CNN has reached out to attorneys for Chavez and Iwamasa.

Estrada said that over two months from September to October 2023, Perry was distributed “ roughly 20 vials of Ketamine ” that bring him roughly$ 55,000.

“ Defendant Plasencia saw this as an occasion to benefit off of Mr. Perry, ” Estrada said. “ He wrote in a textbook communication in September 2023, ‘ I wonder how important this moron will pay’ He also stated in textbook dispatches that he wanted to be Mr. Perry’s sole source of force. ”

Perry had detailed his decades-long struggles with medicine dependence in his 2022 bio, “ musketeers, suckers, and the Big Terrible Thing. ” He wrote that he began abusing tradition drug after he was involved in a spurt ski accident on the set of the film “ Fools Rush In ” in 1997 and was specified Vicodin.

Matthew Perry in 2022. 

Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for GQ

According to his book, Perry ultimately escalated to taking up to 55 capsules per day, which redounded in his significant weight loss that was visible during his time working on “ musketeers. ” He noted that it was delicate to watch the physical metamorphosis he went through during his time on the show.

“ I was, like, severely thin and being beaten down so poorly by the complaint, ” Perry wrote.

Ketamine has seen a swell in use in recent times as a treatment for depression, anxiety and pain. People near to Perry told coroner’s investigators that he was witnessing ketamine infusion remedy before his death and he was being treated by at least two croakers , according to The Associated Press.

Milgram added in the press conference that the “ despair that led Perry to these individualities was n't met with help, as it should have been with the croakers .

“ This treason of trust is at the heart of this tragedy ”

She added “ maybe what has happed can help others and save lives. ”

An ‘ unfathomable loss’
Perry’s death was met with shock as he was cherished on “ musketeers ” between 1994 and 2004, where he starred alongside Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow.

They released a common statement after Perry failed, writing “ We're each so hugely devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were further than just cast mates. We're a family. ”

“ There's so important to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to suffer and reuse this unfathomable loss, ” the statement, released by their individual representatives, added. “ In time we will say further, as and when we're suitable. For now, our studies and our love are with Matty’s family, his musketeers, and everyone who loved him around the world. ”

In May, Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Scot Williams told CNN that an disquisition into Perry’s death was ongoing and felonious in nature.

Williams said authorities were looking into how Perry got the medicines and who may have supplied them. The US Drug Enforcement Administration and the US Postal Inspection Service were also involved in the disquisition.

During the press conference, both Estrada and LA Police Chief Dominic Choi disputed the notion that they concentrated on this disquisition and brought a wide- ranging case because of Perry’s socioeconomic status.

“ Every victim’s life counts, ” Estrada said.