The 5 People Charged In The Death Of Matthew Perry

The 5 People Charged In The Death Of Matthew Perry


August 16, 2024 | Jesse Singer

The 5 People Charged In The Death Of Matthew Perry


We All Lost A Friend 

It was October 28th, 2023 when the world lost Matthew Perry. In December it was announced that Perry's passing was due to "acute effects of ketamine", and in May of 2024 the LAPD began an investigation into the incident. Then on August 15th of that year U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada announced that 5 people had been charged in Perry's death. They are....

Dr. Salvador Plasencia

Perry had been receiving psychotherapy, however the levels of K in his system were much too high to have just been from the treatment. Prosecutors claimed that the doctors, including one Dr. Salvador Plasencia took advantage of Perry's addiction—providing him with large amounts of the substancecared only about their financial gains. Plasencia was also charged with falsifying records after the actor's death.

Salvador Plasencia's attorney Stefan Eric Sacks speaks with the press outside the Edward R. Roybal Center and Federal Building following a press conference announcing arrests in the death ofPatrick T Fallon, Getty Images

Advertisement

Dr. Mark Chavez

The other doctor charged, Dr. Mark Chavez, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy.

UNDATED FILE PHOTO: Matthew Perry. (photo by Newsmakers)Newsmakers, Getty Images

Advertisement

The Assistant

59-year old Kenneth Iwamasa was Perry's assistant and the person who found him face down in his hot tub back on October 28th, 2023. Iwamasa, who has no medical training, would also inject Perry—including on the day the Friends star died. A week prior to the announcement of the charges Iwamasa pleaded guilty to a count of conspiracy.

Matthew Perry looking sad at camera - 2009Featureflash Photo Agency , Shutterstock

Advertisement

The Dealer

Dealer Jasveen Sangha was charged with supplying the K that caused Perry's death.

Matthew Perry is talking and touching his face - 2003Featureflash Photo Agency , Shutterstock

Advertisement

The Distributor

54-year-old Eric Fleming was also charged, and he pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and one count of distribution resulting in death. Fleming got the K from Sangha, which he then distributed to Perry.

NBC's Annual Winter Press Tour All-Star Reception.Getty Images

Advertisement

 


READ MORE

Jeanette MacDonald
January 19, 2026 Alex Summers

Old Hollywood star Jeanette MacDonald fell for her co-star and then hid a secret affair for decades.

Jeanette MacDonald rose to fame in the ruffle-laden, fantasy-ridden Hollywood musicals of the 1930s, her angel’s voice transporting audiences and establishing her as one of the highest-paid actresses of the day. MacDonald kept this pristine image until the day she died, even right up to her beautiful last words to her long-time husband.
Talking Heads
January 19, 2026 Jesse Singer

MTV Didn’t Exist Back Then, But These Songs From The 60s And 70s Would’ve Had Amazing Music Videos. Here's What They Would’ve Looked Like.

Plenty of tracks from the 60s and 70s felt tailor-made for the music video era that hadn’t arrived yet. They were theatrical, stylish, weird, moody, or bold enough that there’s no doubt MTV would’ve eaten them up instantly. If MTV had shown up a decade earlier, these songs would have dominated the channel
January 19, 2026 Jack Hawkins

The Most Snubbed TV Shows At The Emmys

The Emmy Awards have a long history of snubbing incredible television. From The Wire and Better Call Saul to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, these are the 25 TV shows most unfairly ignored by the Emmys — and we’re still furious about it.
Goldie Hawn Laugh-In
January 16, 2026 Jesse Singer

Pop Culture References Baby Boomers Love That Most Millennials Wouldn't Understand

Boomers often assume these references are universal—timeless, obvious, self-explanatory. Millennials hear them and nod politely, the same way you do when someone explains a dream that only mattered to them.
Neil Young with Crazy Horse
January 19, 2026 Allison Robertson

When Neil Young fired Crazy Horse, his career went into chaos—but their reunion years later reignited his creative fire.

After pushing Crazy Horse out of his career, Neil Young spiraled into creative chaos. Their reunions reveal how this volatile partnership ultimately fueled some of his most powerful music.
Bruce Springsteen Live
January 19, 2026 Jesse Singer

Artists Who Hated Their Own Song Titles—And Why They Were Stuck With Them

A great song title can launch a hit in seconds. It can also quietly ruin an artist’s life. Some titles were misunderstood. Others aged badly. A few became punchlines the moment they hit radio. For these artists, the title didn’t just sell the song. It became the thing they could never escape.