Two months after Matthew Perry died at age 54 in October 2023, his death was ruled an accident. That ruling proved to be far from the end of the story.
A December 2023 toxicology report concluded that Perry died from “the acute effects of ketamine.” The report noted that Perry had been receiving regular ketamine infusions to treat depression and anxiety, but his last infusion had taken place more than a week before his death. The discrepancy left room for questions about how and why Perry had ketamine in his system when he died.
In May 2024, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that they had opened an investigation into Perry’s death. Three months later, five individuals – Dr. Salvador Plasencia, Jasveen Sangha, Kenneth Iwamasa, Erik Fleming and Dr. Mark Chavez – were hit with varying federal charges, including conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death.
Keep scrolling for a complete timeline of the investigation of Perry’s death:
September 30, 2023
According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly in August 2024, “after learning” that Perry “was interested in obtaining ketamine,” Plasencia allegedly contacted Chavez about purchasing the drug “so that he could sell the ketamine” to the actor. The docs also alleged that Plasencia texted Chavez, “I wonder how much this moron will pay” for the substance.
After Chavez sold Plasencia, a licensed physician, “at least four vials of liquid ketamine, ketamine lozenges,” syringes and gloves, the docs alleged that Plasencia left the drug with Perry’s former personal assistant Iwamasa and taught him how to inject ketamine so he could administer it to Perry.
October 2, 2023
Iwamasa sent Plasencia a text message requesting to purchase additional vials of ketamine.
That same day, Plasencia texted Chavez asking for more ketamine to sell to Perry.
October 8-10, 2023
Plasencia sold numerous vials of ketamine to Iwamasa, and met with both him and Perry at several locations, including Long Beach, California, where Plasencia allegedly injected Perry with the substance while they were in a car.
The docs also stated that on October 10, Iwamasa contacted Fleming to purchase more vials of ketamine. Fleming then texted Sangha, a.k.a. “The Ketamine Queen,” to obtain the drugs.
October 14, 2023
After delivering samples of ketamine to Iwamasa and Perry at his residence the day prior, Fleming allegedly drove to Perry’s home to obtain the funds for the drugs. Fleming then drove to Sangha’s “stash house” and bought 25 vials. He then drove back to Perry’s house and delivered the drugs, according to the docs.
October 23, 2023
Iwamasa texted Fleming asking to purchase more ketamine, allegedly asking via text, “Can we do the same as last time over the next two days?”
Fleming then traveled to Perry’s home to pick up cash from Iwamasa.
October 24, 2023
Fleming allegedly bought another 25 vials of ketamine from Sangha, then drove back to Perry’s home to drop off the drugs.
October 25-27
Court docs alleged that Iwamasa administered Perry “at least” six injections of ketamine on October 25, October 26 and October 27.
October 28, 2023
Perry was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home. He was pronounced dead later that day.
In documents obtained by Us, it was alleged that Iwamasa injected Perry with “multiple doses of ketamine he received” from Fleming and Sangha, “resulting in the death and serious bodily injury” of the late actor. The docs also alleged that Plasencia provided the syringes.
That same day, Sangha instructed Fleming to “distance themselves from selling ketamine” to Perry, including deleting digital evidence on their cell phones.
October 30, 2023
Fleming allegedly texted Sangha asking how long ketamine stays in someone’s system since a “three month tox screening” would be performed on Perry.
December 2023
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office released a toxicology report concluding that Perry died from “the acute effects of ketamine.” The actor’s death was ruled an accident, with drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine (which is used to treat opioid use) listed as contributing factors.
May 2024
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that they had opened an investigation into Perry’s death, focusing specifically on how Perry obtained the ketamine found in his system when he died.
August 15, 2024
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California shared a press release announcing that Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a licensed physician, and Jasveen Sangha, a.k.a. “The Ketamine Queen,” an alleged drug dealer, were arrested on August 15 in connection with Perry’s death. Both Plasencia and Sangha were charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
Sangha was also charged with 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; while Plasencia was also charged with seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to the federal investigation.
The press release also named three other individuals who had been separately charged in connection to Perry’s death: Iwamasa, his acquaintance Fleming, and Dr. Chavez, another physician.
Fleming pleaded guilty on August 8 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Fleming admitted in court documents that he distributed the ketamine that killed Perry.
Iwamasa pleaded guilty on August 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, and admitted to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, including on the day he died. Chavez has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
United States Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement: “These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being. Drug dealers selling dangerous substances are gambling with other people’s lives over greed. 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.”
August 30, 2024
Chavez, one of the doctors arrested in connection with the death of Perry, appeared in a Los Angeles court on Friday, August 30, after reaching a deal to plead guilty and cooperate with prosecutors, according to the Associated Press. (Though he agreed to plead guilty, he did not enter his plea during his court appearance, and will do so at a date to be determined at a later time.)
“He’s incredibly remorseful,” Chavez’s lawyer, Matthew Binninger said while the doctor, who agreed to turn over his medical license, stood by his side. “He’s trying to do everything in his power to right the wrong that happened here. He didn’t accept responsibility today but only because it wasn’t on the calendar. He’s doing everything in his power to cooperate and help with this situation.”
