Five people have been charged in connection with Matthew Perry's death as officials investigate how the actor obtained ketamine.

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Karah Rucker Anchor

U.S.

Five people charged in connection to death of actor Matthew Perry

Aug 15

Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Mirlie Larose (Producer), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

New developments are coming to light about the death of “Friends” star Matthew Perry. The Offices of the United States Attorneys announced on Thursday, Aug. 15, that five individuals have been charged in connection to the actor’s death.

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Perry died in October 2023 after he lost consciousness and drowned in a hot tub at his home in Los Angeles, California. An autopsy revealed that his death was due in part to the acute effects of ketamine — a powerful sedative with psychedelic properties. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner declared his death was due to an accidental drug overdose and drowning, with no foul play suspected.

Now, authorities are saying the investigation is not over. Officials said the defendants took advantage of Perry’s struggle with addiction, which he outlined in a 2022 memoir.

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Los Angeles homicide detectives and federal agents have been looking into how Perry obtained the drugs. The indictment calls out two doctors as the initial suppliers. The two suspects identified are Jasveen Sangha and Salvador Plasencia.

Sangha, 41, is known as the “ketamine queen of LA.” Plasenia, 42, is a licensed medical doctor known as “Dr. P.” The two were both arrested on Thursday in southern California with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Sangha was also charged with multiple other drug related offenses.

The other defendants include Perry’s former assistant, a San Diego-based physician and an acquaintance who had previously helped the actor obtain ketamine.

“We were and still are heartbroken by Matthew’s death, but it has helped to know law enforcement has taken his case very seriously,” Perry’s family said in a statement. “We look forward to justice taking its course.”

Tags: California, Indictment, Ketamine, Los Angeles, Matthew Perry, Overdose

[KARAH RUCKER]

NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE DEATH OF ‘FRIENDS’ STAR MATTHEW PERRY.

THE U-S ATTORNEY’S OFFICE ON THURSDAY ANNOUNCING FIVE INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN CHARGED IN CONNECTION TO THE ACTOR’S DEATH BACK IN OCTOBER 2023. PERRY LOST CONSCIOUSNESS AND DROWNED IN HIS HOT TUB IN HIS LOS ANGELES HOME.

OFFICIALS SAYING THE DEFENDANTS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF PERRY’S STRUGGLE WITH ADDICTION that PERRY SPOKE ABOUT IN A 2022 MEMOIR.

AN AUTOPSY REVEALED THAT HIS DEATH WAS DUE TO THE ACUTE EFFECTS OF KETAMINE; A POWERFUL SEDATIVE, ALONG WITH OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

FOR MONTHS, LOS ANGELES HOMICIDE DETECTIVES AND FEDERAL AGENTS HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO HOW PERRY OBTAINED THE DRUGS.

THE INDICTMENT POINTS TO TWO DOCTORS AS THE INITIAL SUPPLIER.

JASVEEN SANGHA KNOWN AS THE- “KETAMINE QUEEN OF LA,” AND SALVADOR PLASENCIA, A LICENSED MEDICAL DOCTOR KNOWN AS “DR.P” ARE TWO SUSPECTS IDENTIFIED IN THE INDICTMENT.

THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER HAD PREVIOUSLY DETERMINED PERRY’S DEATH WAS AN ACCIDENTAL OVERDOSE COMBINED WITH DROWNING, WITH NO FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED. AUTHORITIES NOW SAY THE INVESTIGATION IS FAR FROM OVER.

THE ACTORS FAMILY SAID IN A STATEMENT THURSDAY, THAT THEY ARE “HEARTBROKEN BUT IT HAS HELPED TO KNOW THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS TAKEN THIS CASE SERIOUSLY.”

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