More harrowing details about Matthew Perry's final weeks have been revealed after five people were charged in connection to his death.
The beloved Friends star - who played Chandler Bing in the hit sitcom Friends - passed away at the age of 54 on October 28, 2023, after first responders found him unresponsive in a hot tub at his Los Angeles residence.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office reported that the actor had passed from acute effects of ketamine".
Other contributing factors in his death included drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine, used to treat opioid use disorder, as reported by TMZ.
Back in May, the LAPD launched an investigation into what led to Perry’s death after it was ruled an accident.
It was previously reported that the 17 Again actor was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy for anxiety and depression in the days before his passing. However, his last known infusion was a week and a half prior, meaning that the drugs in his system weren't related to an infusion.
"The ketamine in his system at death could not be from that infusion therapy since ketamine’s half-life is three to four hours or less," as cited by The Hollywood Reporter. In addition to this, the level of ketamine found in his blood was about the same quantity as levels used during general anesthesia, per The Guardian.
Three months later, five people were charged in connection with Perry's death. They were accused of defrauding thousands of dollars from the late star for vials of ketamine.
It is alleged that they "took advantage" of his substance abuse issues and "knew what they were doing was wrong," as reported by Metro.
Doctor Salvador Plascencia was apprehended along with another doctor, Mark Chavez, Perry’s longtime assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, alleged street dealer Erik Fleming, and Jasveen Sangha, the “Ketamine Queen of Los Angeles," per Today.
According to the outlet, Plascencia, 42, found out that the actor wanted to receive ketamine in September 2023 and allegedly contacted Chavez - who had previously operated a ketamine clinic - to obtain the drug.
Plascencia - who had a license to prescribe and distribute the strong tranquilizer - wanted to cash in on Perry - even texting Iwamasa: “I wonder how much this moron will pay” for ketamine.
More chilling details surrounding the days leading up to October 28 emerged from the police investigation, revealing that Plascencia realized the actor's life was hanging by a thread when he suffered a medical episode after receiving a "large" dosage.
Perry seemed to “freeze up” and his blood pressure skyrocketed after he was administered a “large dose” of ketamine. “Let’s not do that again,” Plascencia reportedly texted Iwamasa, who lived with Perry and was his assistant since 1994, per The New York Post.
However, the pair did not stop as it has been claimed that Iwamasa administered at least 27 shots of ketamine to his employer during the final five days of his life. Prosecutors allege that three of those shots resulted in his “death and serious bodily injury," per the outlet.
Furthermore, law enforcement believes that the late Friend star's final, fatal dose of ketamine was supplied by Sangha.
Plascencia allegedly supplied Perry with about 20 vials of ketamine in exchange for around $55,000 in cash from September until October 28. This includes the actor paying $2,000 for a $12 vial of the drug.
The doctor and Sangha - “Ketamine Queen of Los Angeles" who allegedly ran a stash house - are both charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, per The New York Post.
Plascencia is also charged with seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to the federal investigation.
Meanwhile, Sangha has also been charged with one count of maintaining 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.
Furthermore, Fleming, Iwamasa, and Chavez each agreed to a deal admitting to conspiracy to distribute ketamine, and conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death.
United States Attorney Martin Estrada said at a press briefing yesterday that the investigation uncovered a "broad underground criminal network responsible for distributing a large quantity of ketamine to Perry and others," as cited by Metro.
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