Five people have been charged in connection with the death of actor Matthew Perry from a ketamine overdose last year, including the actor's assistant and two doctors, according to U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. The doctors allegedly supplied Perry with a large amount of ketamine and discussed how much he would be willing to pay for the drug. Estrada stated that the defendants took advantage of Perry's addiction issues to enrich themselves and knew that their actions were wrong.
Perry received several injections of ketamine on the day he died from his live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who later found him dead. The actor had sought out the two charged doctors after his regular doctors refused to give him the amounts of ketamine he desired. One of the doctors charged, Dr. Salvador Plasencia, was arrested and faces multiple charges related to the distribution of ketamine and falsifying records after Perry's death.
Another person arrested in connection with the case is Jasveen Sangha, described as a drug dealer known as the "ketamine queen." Prosecutors allege that ketamine supplied by Sangha caused Perry's death. Dr. Mark Chavez, a San Diego physician, has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine. The defendants are accused of exchanging messages referencing ketamine as the cause of Perry's death and attempting to cover up their involvement in supplying him with the drug.
Perry's autopsy revealed that the amount of ketamine in his blood was in the range used for general anesthesia during surgery. Ketamine has been increasingly used in recent years to treat depression, anxiety, and pain. Perry had a history of addiction dating back to his time on the TV show "Friends." The medical examiner ruled Perry's death an accident with ketamine listed as the primary cause, with drowning and other medical issues as contributing factors. Authorities have prosecuted individuals who supplied drugs in other celebrity overdose cases, such as rapper Mac Miller and singer Michael Jackson.