5 People Are Facing Charges Related to Matthew Perry's Death. What to Know About Their Alleged Involvement and Possible Penalties

While the world mourns Matthew Perry, five people continue to face legal consequences related to his death.

On Oct. 28, 2023, the beloved Friends actor died at 54 years old after an accidental drug overdose. An autopsy later showed Perry died from acute effects of ketamine, in addition to other contributing factors such as drowning, coronary artery disease and effects from buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder.

While the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner closed their investigation in December 2023, the Los Angeles Police Department launched a formal investigation in May 2024 to determine the source of the ketamine that ultimately led to the actor’s death.

In August 2024, five people — including two doctors, Perry’s live-in assistant and a woman deemed the “Ketamine Queen” by authorities — were arrested on charges in connection with Perry’s death.

“These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being,” United States Attorney Martin Estrada said in a press release at the time.

DEA Administrator Anne Milgram added, “We allege each of the defendants played a key role in his death by falsely prescribing, selling, or injecting the ketamine that caused Matthew Perry’s tragic death. … Matthew Perry’s journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials.”

From the doctors to his personal live-in assistant, here’s everything to know about the five people who were arrested on charges in connection with Matthew Perry’s death.

Jasveen Sangha

Jasveen Sangha, who United States Attorney Martin Estrada said is referred to as “The Ketamine Queen” in the press release, was one of the first two defendants to be named in the case.

The Department of Justice announced in their August 2024 press release that Sangha 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.

“Drug dealers selling dangerous substances are gambling with other people’s lives over greed,” Estrada said in the release. “This case, along with our many other prosecutions of drug-dealers who cause death, send a clear message that we will hold drug-dealers accountable for the deaths they cause.”

In a federal indictment reviewed by PEOPLE, prosecutors allege that Sangha operated a stash house in North Hollywood, where they claim she would “store, package, and distribute narcotics,” allegedly dealing to “high end and celebs.”

According to the release, Sangha had previously sold ketamine to Cody McLaury in the hours before he died.

Sangha is scheduled to go to trial in August, per the Associated Press, and is the only person charged in Perry’s death who has not entered a plea agreement. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges against her, but if Sangha is convicted, she could potentially face up to life in prison.

Erik Fleming

Erik Fleming, a TV director and former acquaintance of Perry’s from Los Angeles’ Hawthorne neighborhood, pleaded guilty in August 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death, per the press release.

According to the release, he admitted in court documents that he distributed the ketamine — which he obtained from Sangha — that ultimately killed Perry. Fleming also admitted to distributing 50 vials of ketamine to Perry’s live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa.

Once Perry’s death was reported, Fleming allegedly received a text from Sangha that read, “Delete all our messages,” according to the release.

Fleming, who could face up to 25 years in prison, has a sentencing set for November 2025, per ABC News.

Kenneth Iwamasa

Iwamasa worked as Perry’s live-in assistant for 25 years, per his LinkedIn. According to his profile, the Los Angeles native has worked closely with several other celebrities over the years, from being Robby Benson’s talent manager to Angela Bassett’s executive assistant.

Per the press release, Iwamasa conspired with Sangha, Fleming and Plasencia to illegally obtain ketamine and distribute it to Perry.

In August 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, admitted to “repeatedly” injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, including performing multiple injections on Perry on the day he died, according to the release.

According to Iwamasa’s plea agreement, Perry told his assistant to “shoot me up with a big one” and to prepare his hot tub. Iwamasa then went to run some errands and found Perry dead, face down in the water, upon his return.

Iwamasa could face up to 15 years in prison, and his sentencing is scheduled for November 2025, per ABC News.

Dr. Salvador Plasencia

In August 2024, Dr. Salvador Plasencia was charged with seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to the federal investigation, per the press release from the Department of Justice.

Plasencia distributed ketamine to Perry and Iwamasa outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose on at least seven occasions during September and October 2023, per the release.

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He also allegedly sold the ketamine despite being informed at least one week earlier that Perry’s addiction to the drug was “spiraling out of control,” per the release.

Plasencia was originally set to go to joint trial with Sangha in March 2025, but it has since been delayed until Aug. 19, 2025, per The Times.

According to the outlet, their lawyers claimed that “additional time is necessary to confer with defendants, conduct and complete an independent investigation of the case, conduct and complete additional legal research including for potential pretrial motions, review the discovery and potential evidence in the case, and prepare for trial in the event that a pretrial resolution does not occur.”

Per a plea agreement filed on June 16, Plasencia had agreed to plead guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine, which carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.

Dr. Mark Chavez

According to the release, Dr. Mark Chavez is a San Diego-based physician who faced one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, later admitting that he sold the drug to Plasencia.

“Chavez also obtained additional ketamine to transfer to Plasencia by making false representations to a wholesale ketamine distributor and by submitting a fraudulent prescription in the name of a former patient without that patient’s knowledge or consent,” the release stated.

According to the superseding indictment, per the release, Plasencia learned of Perry’s interest in ketamine, and contacted Chavez, who previously operated a ketamine clinic. In text messages to Chavez, Plasencia discussed how much to charge Perry for the ketamine, writing, “I wonder how much this moron will pay” and “Lets [sic] find out.”

On Oct. 2, 2024, Chavez pleaded guilty to the charges. He was freed on a $50,000 bond and faces up to 10 years in prison, though he has yet to be sentenced.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.