Posted in: NBC, Peacock, TV | Tagged: friends, Matthew Perry, nbc, peacock

Matthew Perry Investigation Leads to 5 Charged in Actor's Death

Earlier today, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada confirmed five individuals were charged in the overdose death of Friends star Matthew Perry.

It was back in October 2023 when the shocking and tragic news broke that Friends star Matthew Perry had died at the age of 54. Less than two months later, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office returned with the results of the autopsy – noting the "acute effects of ketamine" was a major factor that led to the actor's death (with his drowning, coronary artery disease, and other factors also contributing). Less than a year later, five defendants have been charged in connection with Perry's death – with U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada offering details during a press conference in Los Angeles earlier today.

The five who were mentioned included a live-in assistant, two doctors, and an individual known as the "Ketamine Queen," with two individuals having been arrested at the time of this writing: Jasveen Sangha, aka "The Ketamine Queen" and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, aka "Dr. P," with both expected to be arraigned later today at U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. The other individuals include Eric Fleming, who pleaded guilty earlier this month to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death, with prosecutors noting that Fleming admitted to distributing the ketamine that led to Perry's death. Perry's live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, allegedly conspired with Sangha, Fleming, and Plasencia to illegally obtain and distribute ketamine to Perry. Dr. Mark Chavez has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, admitting to selling ketamine to Plasencia and that he diverted ketamine from his former clinic.

"These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry's addiction issues to enrich themselves. They knew what they were doing was wrong," Estrada shared during the press conference, where he noted that the doctors allegedly involved discussed in text messages exactly how much Perry was willing to pay. According to prosecutors, Perry received several injections from Iwamasa on the day he died. Claiming that the defendants were part of a "broad underground criminal network," Estrada added that the five charged "took advantage of Mr. Perry's addiction issues to enrich themselves."

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