Investigators lay out key findings in Matthew Perry’s death

When Friends star Matthew Perry was discovered deceased in a hot tub at his Los Angeles residence last year, it appeared to potentially be a mere accident.
He had been managing his depression through ketamine infusion treatment, showed no signs of drug use or foul play, and seemed to have died from drowning.
After years battling with addiction, the actor declared he was now sober.
While the global community grieved the loss of the actor famous for his role as Chandler Bing on Friends, a medical examiner discovered an interesting detail: his blood contained elevated levels of ketamine, typically utilised for anesthesia in surgical procedures.
US prosecutors claim that after a nearly year-long investigation, they discovered a large underground network involved in dealing ketamine, as well as attempts to conceal the activities and an additional fatality.
This resulted in the arrest of five individuals, including doctors, Perry’s assistant and a suspected dealer known in the area as the “Ketamine Queen”.
Kenneth Iwamasa, who lived with him, admitted to conspiring to distribute ketamine resulting in death, while Eric Fleming and Dr Mark Chavez also admitted to unlawfully conspiring to distribute drugs.
Dr Salvador Plasencia, who allegedly provided ketamine to Perry, faces charges for altering documents. Accused suspect Jasveen Sangha is charged with nine offenses, including conspiracy to sell ketamine and distributing ketamine that led to a death.
Both individuals entered a plea of not guilty during their court appearance.
The investigation repeatedly mentions Sangha’s name.
Officials accuse the “Ketamine Queen” of providing the drugs that resulted in Perry’s death on 28 October 2023.
Prosecutors describe the 41-year-old as a drug trafficker who allegedly sold 50 vials of ketamine to him for around $11,000 (£8,550) and was aware of the potentially lethal consequences of distributing the drug.
According to the US attorney for California’s Central District, Martin Estrada, her residence in North Hollywood functioned as a hub for selling drugs.
Authorities said that as Perry’s addiction progressed, his desire for ketamine grew, causing him to search for cheaper sources from both street dealers and higher-end suppliers.
Estrada said that the individuals involved in the situation exploited him.
Following Perry’s death, those accused of supplying him with the drugs attempted to hide their actions, investigators say.
Authorities say Sangha sent a message to another suspect telling him to “delete all our messages”. Fleming is alleged to have messaged Ms Sangha: “Please call… Got more info and want to bounce ideas off you. I’m 90% sure everyone is protected. I never dealt with [Perry] only his assistant. So the assistant was the enabler.”