Los Angeles authorities have arrested five individuals for their alleged involvement in supplying actor Matthew Perry with the drug ketamine before his death in October 2023. The suspects include two doctors who improperly prescribed ketamine to Perry, his personal assistant who administered the drug, a major drug supplier, and a broker who connected Perry to the network.
According to U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada, the arrests come after a month-long probe uncovered a complex operation to profit from Perry’s addiction. The suspects are charged with conspiring to illegally distribute ketamine and other offenses linked to Perry’s passing. Court documents reveal troubling details about Perry’s final weeks.
Records show that in September, Dr. Salvador Plasencia contacted Dr. Mark Chavez about obtaining ketamine for Perry after learning of his interest. They displayed a callous attitude in text messages, with Plasencia questioning how much “this moron” would pay. Over the next month, Perry allegedly received 22 vials of ketamine and lozenges totaling around $55,000 through fakes prescriptions from Plasencia.
Prosecutors stated that Plasencia instructed personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa on giving Perry six to eight intravenous ketamine injections daily in his final days. On the day he died, Perry reportedly got shots in the morning and afternoon before asking for “a big one” in the hot tub, where Iwamasa later found him unconscious.
The case has also connected “Ketamine Queen” Jasveen Sangha to the 2019 overdose death of Cody McLaury from drugs allegedly bought from her. A friend of McLaury’s expressed hope that justice will be served for both losses. While Plasencia’s lawyer insists his prescriptions were medical, the circumstances have raised serious concerns about addiction treatment and accountability.