Matthew Perry has two doctors and a personal assistant living with him. among those accused The investigation lasted for months into how the drug ketamine, which contributed to the actor’s death, was obtained.
Prosecutors on Thursday charged five people in connection with the death of the “Friends” star, who was found dead According to the Los Angeles County medical examiner, traces of ketamine — which is sometimes used to treat depression — were found in his stomach.
But the level in his blood His autopsy revealed that it was almost identical to that used during general anesthesia.
Since then, authorities have been trying to figure out how Perry got the drug, which caused cardiac hyperexcitability and respiratory depression. The drug is generally a legal drug used as an anesthetic, But it can also be abused for recreational purposes, and users are attracted to it because of its disruptive effects.
In June, the Times reported that investigators from the Los Angeles Police Department, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Service many people were added To procure ketamine.
The defendants named in the case include two doctors, Perry’s personal assistant, who authorities say injected Perry with ketamine, and a dealer who has been dubbed the “Ketamine Queen” by federal agents.
Here’s what we know about the people named in the indictment:
- Jasveen Sangha, 41, also known as the “Ketamine Queen” According to the indictment, the North Hollywood woman was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine. Prosecutors say Perry’s personal assistant began obtaining ketamine for the actor from Sangha and a street dealer in mid-October. She is accused of selling about 50 vials of the drug to the actor for $11,000.
- Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 42, is called “Dr. P.” Federal prosecutors say Plasencia learned a month before Perry’s death that the actor was interested in obtaining ketamineHe is accused of injecting Perry with ketamine at his Pacific Palisades home on Sept. 30 and then leaving ketamine vials, syringes and injection instructions for Perry’s assistant. Plasencia was charged with seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of alteration and falsification of documents or records related to the federal investigation.
- Kenneth Iwamasa, 59, Perry’s personal assistant Iwamasa pleaded guilty on Aug. 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, resulting in death. Authorities said he admitted to injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, including giving him multiple injections on the day of the actor’s death.
- Dr. Cesar Chavez, 54, San Diego-based physician According to prosecutors, Chavez admitted in a plea agreement that he sold ketamine to Plasencia, some of which he obtained from his former ketamine clinic. He also made false statements to a wholesale ketamine distributor and submitted a false prescription in the name of a former patient without that patient’s knowledge or permission, prosecutors said. He pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute ketamine in connection with Perry’s death.
- Eric Fleming, 54 Fleming, whom prosecutors described as a drug dealer and acquaintance of Perry, admitted to authorities that he received vials of ketamine from Sangha and delivered 50 vials of the drug to Iwamasa, half of which were delivered four days before Perry’s death. Fleming pleaded guilty Aug. 8 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of ketamine causing death.
Sangha was arrested in March on drug charges and fined $100,000 in a separate case.
Prosecutors say Perry wasn’t the only victim who overdosed on Sangha’s product.
