The investigation into Matthew
Perry’s death has revealed a troubling pattern of exploitation, with several
individuals in his inner circle allegedly supplying and administering the
ketamine that led to his fatal overdose in October.
Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney
for the Central District of California, announced on Thursday that five people,
including two doctors, have been arrested and charged in connection with
Perry’s death. Among the accused is Perry’s assistant, Kenny Iwamasa, who is
said to have learned how to inject ketamine from Dr. Salvador Plasencia, one of
the defendants. Plasencia allegedly left vials of the drug at Perry’s Pacific
Palisades home for Iwamasa to administer. The drug was obtained through a
network involving "The Ketamine Queen," Jasveen Sangha, her
co-conspirator Dr. Mark Chavez, and a middleman named Eric Fleming.
Neama Rahmani, a former
federal prosecutor, described the situation as a tragic exploitation of Perry's
celebrity status. “They have entourages that act like leeches," Rahmani
told Fox News Digital, explaining that many people around Perry were simply
looking to profit from him. "Here’s someone with a well-known opioid
addiction, and they’re charging him thousands for ketamine, feeding that
addiction. It’s heartbreaking."
Text messages from the
indictment show a disturbing disregard for Perry’s well-being. Plasencia
allegedly messaged Chavez, "I wonder how much this moron will pay,"
and "Let’s find out," both of which reveal the predatory mindset of
the group. The indictment also stated that 20 vials of ketamine were sold to
Perry for $50,000, with Iwamasa responsible for injecting him multiple times on
the day of his death.
Iwamasa has since pleaded
guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death and is
cooperating with authorities. Meanwhile, Sangha, known as "The Ketamine
Queen," operated a stash house in North Hollywood, where she allegedly
manufactured and distributed various drugs, including methamphetamine and
ketamine.
Sangha was also linked to
another fatal overdose case from 2019, adding further weight to the charges
against her.
