A primary care physician and an alleged drug dealer from the San Fernando Valley were arrested August 15 in connection with the death of actor Matthew Perry, who died from a ketamine overdose in October 2023. The arrests are part of a broader federal investigation that has led to charges against five individuals, including two doctors, according to court documents unsealed today.
The defendants, Jasveen Sangha, 41, also known as "The Ketamine Queen," and Salvador Plasencia, MD, 42, have been charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine to Perry during the final weeks of his life. Sangha faces additional charges, including maintaining a drug-involved premises, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and ketamine, and multiple counts of ketamine distribution. Dr.
The indictment alleges that Sangha’s ketamine distribution on October 24, 2023, directly caused Perry's death.
“These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being,” United States Attorney Martin Estrada. LAPD Chief Dominic Choi and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram noted in a Department of Justice press release. The emphasized the collaborative effort of law enforcement in bringing those responsible for Perry's death to justice.
Three other individuals have been charged separately in connection with Perry's death, including Erik Fleming, 54, and Kenneth Iwamasa, 59, who have both pleaded guilty to their roles in distributing ketamine to Perry. Physiatrist Mark Chavez, MD, 54, a San Diego physician, has also agreed to plead guilty to charges related to his involvement in providing ketamine to Plasencia for distribution to Perry.
The indictment details how Dr. Plasencia, upon learning of Perry's interest in ketamine, conspired with Dr. Chavez to obtain and sell the drug to the actor. Dr. Plasencia, along with Fleming and Sangha, distributed ketamine to Perry through his personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa,59, who administered the drug to Perry multiple times, including on the day of his death.
If convicted, Sangha faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life in federal prison, while Dr. Plasencia could face up to 10 years for each ketamine-related count and up to 20 years for records falsification. Iwamasa and Fleming face up to 15 and 25 years, respectively, and Dr. Chavez faces up to 10 years at sentencing.
The case is being investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, with Assistant United States Attorneys Ian V. Yanniello and Haoxiaohan H. Cai prosecuting.