Matthew Perry Death Probe Uncovers Inner Circle Manipulation

Matthew Perry depended on several individuals to provide and administer the ketamine that ultimately caused his tragic overdose in October.

During a Thursday press conference, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada announced the arrest of five individuals, including two doctors, in connection with Perry’s death.

Kenny Iwamasa, Perry’s assistant, allegedly learned to inject ketamine from co-defendant Dr. Salvador Plasencia. Plasencia allegedly left vials of the anesthetic for Iwamasa to use on Perry at his home in Pacific Palisades. Reports say Jasveen Sangha, “The Ketamine Queen,” with Dr. Mark Chavez and Eric Fleming, obtained the drug.

Neama Rahmani told The Diplomat News that Perry’s fame led to his exploitation and ultimately cost him his life.

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Rahmani said entourages can act like leeches, exploiting wealthy individuals by profiting from their resources and draining them dry.

“Take, for instance, someone who has a well-documented struggle with opioid addiction. He’s openly seeking treatment with medication to manage his condition. Yet, there are people out there charging him exorbitant amounts for ketamine, capitalizing on his addiction. It’s truly heartbreaking.”

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Estrada stated the defendants gave Perry 20 vials for $50,000, intending him to pass them to Iwamasa for distribution. In another transaction, the dealers “exploited Mr. Perry” by selling roughly “50 vials of ketamine for around $11,000 in cash.”

Iwamasa admitted to repeatedly administering ketamine to Perry, including on the day he died, without medical qualifications. On August 7, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death and secured a plea deal.

Jasveen Sangha, “The Ketamine Queen,” allegedly operated a North Hollywood stash house for manufacturing and distributing methamphetamine and ketamine.

Sangha, with a history of selling ketamine, was indicted for her role in Cody McLaury’s 2019 overdose during Perry’s investigation.

Fleming served as a liaison between Sangha and clients, with Sangha texting Perry’s assistant about working with celebrities. If the quality wasn’t top-notch, she’d risk losing her business.

Iwamasa confirmed the purchase of 25 vials on October 14, 2023. On October 23, Iwamasa texted Fleming requesting “the same as last time” for the next two days. The ketamine delivered on October 24 caused Perry’s death just four days later.

This is a compelling situation. The text messages are incredibly incriminating, and several defendants have already admitted guilt, clearly indicating the inevitable outcome. The dealers have no viable defense. Without a DEA license or legitimate reason for possessing ketamine or methamphetamine, their case is essentially over.

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Sangha and Plasencia face charges for conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Additionally, authorities have charged Sangha with maintaining a drug-involved property, possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possessing ketamine with intent to distribute, and distributing ketamine in five separate instances.

If found guilty on all counts, Sangha faces a minimum of 10 years in federal prison, with a potential maximum sentence of life behind bars Plasencia, on the other hand, could receive up to 10 years for each ketamine-related charge and as much as 20 years for each count of falsifying records.

Chavez has decided to plead guilty to a single count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine as part of his plea deal. The doctor from San Diego acknowledged that he sold ketamine to Plasencia, which included some that he had improperly taken from his previous ketamine clinic.

Eric Anderson, a former prosecutor now serving as counsel at Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae LLP, shared with The diplomat News that the charges against those implicated in Perry’s death are quite straightforward.Anderson explained that authorities will charge you with murder if your drug dealing results in the death of a well-known individual, and it won’t be overlooked. “Perry was a cherished figure who openly struggled with substance abuse. He was candid about his challenges and his efforts to maintain sobriety. The claims suggest that individuals close to him, who had significant access to him, exploited his vulnerability and even joked about it. Despite previous warnings that supplying and administering ketamine posed a serious health threat to Perry, they allegedly continued their actions.

Rither Alabre, a former prosecutor from New York and a partner at Blank Rome LLP’s White Collar Group, shared with The Diplomat News that prosecutors are clearly making a significant statement to drug dealers by pursuing charges in this prominent case.

Alabre noted a growing trend where prosecutors are holding dealers accountable for supplying drugs that have resulted in the deaths of notable figures.

He pointed out that, for instance, federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York charged the dealer responsible for the fentanyl-laced heroin that led to the death of actor Michael K. Williams from “The Wire,” who received a 10-year prison sentence last year. SDNY prosecutors charged the dealer linked to Robert De Niro’s grandson’s overdose, facing up to 20 years per charge.

Alabre highlighted that federal prosecutors lead the Perry investigation for their greater resources and ability to collaborate with agencies.

“Defendants typically face much harsher penalties in federal court,” Alabre explained. “In the situation surrounding Perry’s death, one defendant is looking at a minimum sentence of 10 years, with a potential maximum of life in prison. The prosecutors have not only targeted the dealers but have also charged two doctors (who are not Perry’s regular physicians) for allegedly supplying the drugs to the dealers, which further illustrates the strong message prosecutors aim to convey in these cases.