LOS ANGELES — Federal prosecutors on Thursday outlined an illicit scheme revolving around the tragic death of actor Matthew Perry, the beloved star known for his role in “Friends.” Perry’s personal assistant and four others have been charged with capitalizing on his struggle with addiction, resulting in his overdose death last October in his Pacific Palisades home.
Prosecutors alleged that Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, 59, managed to administer dangerous doses of ketamine to the actor, including three lethal injections that directly led to Perry’s demise. Alongside Iwamasa, two physicians and two street-level drug dealers were implicated in the scheme that exploited Perry’s vulnerability for profit.
“These individuals systematically exploited Mr. Perry’s battle with addiction, culminating in his untimely and tragic death,” stated U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada, during a press conference in Los Angeles.
The group allegedly bilked the actor out of substantial amounts of money, charging thousands of dollars for ketamine vials that ostensibly cost only $12 to produce. The rampant overcharging was spearheaded by two doctors identified as Mark Chavez, 54, and Salvador Plasencia, 42, who, through egregious abuse of trust and medical ethics, facilitated the actor’s access to the harmful substances.
In addition to Iwamasa and the physicians, Erik Fleming, 54, a dealer, and Jasveen Sangha, 41, known in underground circles as the “Ketamine Queen,” were charged with distribution. Authorities assert that Fleming and Sangha played critical roles in supplying the ketamine that ultimately led to Perry’s overdose.
Perry, aged 54 at the time of his death, had publicly addressed his struggles with substance abuse in his memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.” According to Anne Milgram, administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Perry had been actively seeking treatment for mental health issues when he turned to the charged individuals for help, which sadly led to his overdose.
The indictment detailed that within a span from late September to his death in late October, Perry was reportedly provided with approximately 20 vials of ketamine, costing him around $55,000. Text messages extracted from mobile communications indicate that Plasencia viewed Perry as a profitable opportunity, referring to him derisively and discussing ways to deepen their financial exploitation of the celebrity’s addiction.
Milgram highlighted a stark deviation from medical ethics, criticizing the healthcare professionals involved for their mantra of “do no harm” being grotesquely twisted into harmful profit-driven practices. In the weeks leading to his death, Perry’s condition notably worsened following a particularly large dose of ketamine, which had immediate severe side effects.
As the legal procedures unfold, Perry’s family released a statement expressing their deep heartbreak and their hope for justice to prevail.
The arrests highlight the dangerous intersections of celebrity, substance abuse, and the exploitation inherent in the illegal drug trade, underscoring a critical need for ethical standards and rigorous oversight in treatment practices. The case stands as a solemn reminder of the potential consequences of addiction and the predatory behaviors it can attract.