Matthew Perry Death Investigation Unravels Conspiracy of Ketamine Distribution
In December 2023, two months following Matthew Perry's passing at 54 in October, the cause of his death was officially deemed accidental. However, this initial conclusion was only the beginning of a much larger narrative.
A toxicology analysis from December 2023 determined that Perry's demise stemmed from “the immediate impact of ketamine.” While the report indicated Perry was undergoing consistent ketamine treatments for depression and anxiety, his most recent dose had occurred over seven days prior to his passing. This inconsistency raised significant questions regarding the presence of ketamine in Perry's system at the time of his death.
By May 2024, the Los Angeles Police Department verified that they had initiated an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Perry's demise. Just three months later, five individuals – Dr. Salvador Plasencia, Jasveen Sangha, Kenneth Iwamasa, Erik Fleming, and Dr. Mark Chavez – faced a range of federal accusations, among them conspiracy to supply ketamine leading to a fatality.
Continue reading for a detailed chronological account of the ongoing inquiry into Perry's death:
September 30, 2023
Based on legal filings acquired by Us Weekly in August 2024, it was alleged that “after discovering” Perry “was interested in obtaining ketamine,” Plasencia reached out to Chavez to acquire the drug “with the intent of reselling the ketamine” to the actor. These documents further claimed that Plasencia messaged Chavez, stating, “I'm curious how much this fool will pay” for the drug.
Following Chavez's sale to Plasencia, a certified doctor, of “a minimum of four vials of liquid ketamine, ketamine lozenges,” along with syringes and gloves, the filings asserted that Plasencia entrusted the substance to Perry's ex-personal assistant, Iwamasa, and instructed him on ketamine injection for administration to Perry.
October 2, 2023
Iwamasa sent Plasencia a message requesting to buy additional ketamine vials.
On that same day, Plasencia texted Chavez seeking more ketamine to provide to Perry.
October 8-10, 2023
Plasencia supplied multiple vials of ketamine to Iwamasa and met with both him and Perry at various locations, including Long Beach, California, where Plasencia allegedly injected Perry with the substance while they were inside a vehicle.
The documents also indicated that on October 10, Iwamasa contacted Fleming to secure more ketamine vials. Fleming then messaged Sangha, known as “The Ketamine Queen,” to procure the drugs.
October 14, 2023
After delivering ketamine samples to Iwamasa and Perry at his home the previous day, Fleming reportedly drove to Perry’s residence to collect payment for the drugs. Fleming then proceeded to Sangha’s “stash house” and purchased 25 vials. He then returned to Perry’s house to deliver the drugs, according to the records.
October 23, 2023
Iwamasa texted Fleming to request more ketamine, reportedly asking via text, “Can we repeat the same arrangement as last time over the next two days?”
Fleming then traveled to Perry’s home to receive cash from Iwamasa.
October 24, 2023
Fleming allegedly acquired another 25 vials of ketamine from Sangha, then drove back to Perry’s residence to drop off the substances.
October 25-27, 2023
Court documents alleged that Iwamasa administered Perry “at least” six ketamine injections on October 25, October 26, and October 27.
October 28, 2023
Perry was discovered unresponsive in a hot tub at his Los Angeles residence. He was pronounced deceased later that day.
In documents obtained by Us, it was claimed that Iwamasa injected Perry with “multiple doses of ketamine he obtained” from Fleming and Sangha, “leading to the death and severe physical harm” of the late actor. The documents also asserted that Plasencia supplied the syringes.
That same day, Sangha instructed Fleming to “disassociate themselves from selling ketamine” to Perry, which included deleting digital evidence from their mobile phones.
October 30, 2023
Fleming reportedly messaged Sangha inquiring about how long ketamine remains in a person’s system, given that a “three-month toxicology screening” would be performed on Perry.
December 2023
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office issued a toxicology report concluding that Perry succumbed to “the acute effects of ketamine.” The actor’s death was classified as an accident, with drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine (a medication used for opioid addiction treatment) listed as contributing elements.
May 2024
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed the initiation of an investigation into Perry’s death, specifically examining how Perry obtained the ketamine discovered in his system at the time of his passing.
August 15, 2024
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California issued a press release announcing that Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a licensed physician, and Jasveen Sangha, also known as “The Ketamine Queen” and an alleged drug dealer, were apprehended on August 15 in connection with Perry’s death. Both Plasencia and Sangha were indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
Sangha also faced one charge of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one charge of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one charge of possession with intent to distribute ketamine, and five charges of distribution of ketamine; while Plasencia was additionally charged with seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records pertinent to the federal inquiry.
The press release additionally named three other individuals who had been separately accused in relation to Perry’s death: Iwamasa, his associate Fleming, and Dr. Chavez, another medical doctor.
Fleming entered a guilty plea on August 8 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Fleming confessed in court documents that he provided the ketamine that caused Perry's death.
Iwamasa pleaded guilty on August 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, and admitted to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, including on the day he died. Chavez has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
United States Attorney Martin Estrada stated: “These defendants were more concerned with profiting from Mr. Perry than with his well-being. Drug dealers selling dangerous substances are gambling with other people’s lives for greed. This case, along with our numerous other prosecutions of drug dealers who cause death, sends a clear message that we will hold drug dealers accountable for the fatalities they inflict.”
August 30, 2024
Chavez, one of the physicians arrested in connection with Perry's death, appeared in a Los Angeles court on Friday, August 30, after reaching an agreement to plead guilty and cooperate with prosecutors, as reported by the Associated Press. (Although he consented to a guilty plea, he did not formally enter it during his court appearance, and will do so at a date yet to be determined.)
“He is incredibly regretful,” Chavez’s lawyer, Matthew Binninger, stated while the doctor, who agreed to surrender his medical license, stood beside him. “He is striving to do everything within his power to rectify the wrong that occurred here. He did not accept responsibility today simply because it was not on the calendar. He is doing everything in his power to cooperate and assist with this situation.”
June 16, 2025
Plasencia entered a plea agreement with the Department of Justice, and could face a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, Deadline reported.
“At the earliest opportunity requested by the USAO and provided by the Court, appear and plead guilty to Counts Six, Eight, Nine, and Ten of the first superseding indictment in United States v. Salvador Plasencia, which each charge defendant with distribution of ketamine,” the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Central District of California indicated in a plea agreement.
As part of this arrangement, the DOJ intends to “recommend a two-level reduction in the relevant Sentencing Guidelines offense level” to the judge. This suggestion could potentially decrease Plasencia’s sentence by several years.
Meanwhile, Chavez and Iwamasa, who previously entered guilty pleas, are scheduled to be sentenced in the autumn of 2025.
July 23, 2025
One month after Plasencia accepted the plea deal, he admitted guilt to four counts of ketamine distribution.
“Dr. Plasencia feels profound regret for the treatment decisions he made while providing ketamine to Matthew Perry,” Plasencia’s attorney, Karen Goldstein, said in a statement to ABC News. “He is fully accepting accountability by pleading guilty to drug distribution.”
Plasencia will remain free on bond until his sentencing on December 3, 2025. He could face up to 40 years incarcerated. In addition to the conviction, Plasencia will relinquish his medical license. According to his lawyer, Plasencia acknowledged his “failure to safeguard” Perry.
“While Dr. Plasencia was not treating Mr. Perry at the moment of his death, he hopes his case serves as a warning to other medical professionals and leads to stricter supervision and clear protocols for the rapidly expanding at-home ketamine industry to avert future tragedies like this one,” the statement continued.
September 3, 2025
Sangha pleaded guilty to five federal charges related to Perry’s death, according to the Associated Press. She was indicted on three counts of ketamine distribution, one count of ketamine distribution resulting in death, and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises. Her sentencing is scheduled for December 10.
December 3, 2025
Plasencia was handed a sentence of 30 months, approximately two and a half years, in prison, as per the Los Angeles Times. The doctor will also undergo two years of supervised release following his incarceration.
