Two months following the October 2023 death of Matthew Perry at age 54, the incident was initially ruled an accident. However, this was not the final chapter in the unfolding story.
In December 2023, a toxicology report revealed that Perry died due to “the acute effects of ketamine.” While Perry had been receiving ketamine infusions to treat depression and anxiety, his last treatment was over a week before his death, raising questions about the presence of ketamine in his system.
By May 2024, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed they had launched an investigation into Perry’s death. Three months later, five individuals — Dr. Salvador Plasencia, Jasveen Sangha, Kenneth Iwamasa, Erik Fleming, and Dr. Mark Chavez — faced various federal charges, including conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death.
The following is a timeline detailing the investigation into Perry’s death and the consequences faced by those involved:
September 30, 2023
Court documents obtained by Us Weekly in August 2024 allege that Plasencia, after learning of Perry’s interest in obtaining ketamine, contacted Chavez to acquire the drug for resale to Perry. Plasencia reportedly texted Chavez, “I wonder how much this moron will pay” for the substance. Chavez subsequently sold Plasencia at least four vials of liquid ketamine, along with lozenges, syringes, and gloves. Plasencia allegedly left the drugs with Perry’s former assistant, Iwamasa, teaching him how to administer injections to Perry.
October 2, 2023
Iwamasa texted Plasencia requesting additional vials of ketamine. Plasencia, in turn, contacted Chavez to obtain more ketamine for Perry.
October 8-10, 2023
Plasencia sold multiple vials of ketamine to Iwamasa and met with him and Perry at various locations, including Long Beach, California, where Plasencia reportedly injected Perry with ketamine in a car. On October 10, Iwamasa reached out to Fleming to acquire more ketamine, prompting Fleming to contact Sangha, known as “The Ketamine Queen,” to procure the drugs.
October 14, 2023
After delivering ketamine samples to Iwamasa and Perry the previous day, Fleming allegedly went to Perry’s residence to collect payment for the drugs. He then purchased 25 vials from Sangha’s “stash house” and returned to Perry’s home to deliver them.
October 23, 2023
Iwamasa texted Fleming to request more ketamine, allegedly asking, “Can we do the same as last time over the next two days?” Fleming then visited Perry’s home to collect cash from Iwamasa.
October 24, 2023
Fleming reportedly bought another 25 vials of ketamine from Sangha and delivered them to Perry’s residence.
October 25-27, 2023
Court documents allege that Iwamasa administered at least six ketamine injections to Perry over these three days.
October 28, 2023
Perry was discovered unresponsive in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home and was pronounced dead later that day. Documents reportedly indicate that Iwamasa injected Perry with multiple doses of ketamine obtained from Fleming and Sangha, leading to Perry’s death and serious bodily injury. Plasencia is also alleged to have provided the syringes. On the same day, Sangha instructed Fleming to distance themselves from Perry, including deleting digital evidence on their phones.
October 30, 2023
Fleming allegedly texted Sangha, inquiring about how long ketamine remains in the system, anticipating a “three-month tox screening” for Perry.
December 2023
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office released a toxicology report stating that Perry died from “the acute effects of ketamine.” His death was ruled an accident, with additional factors including drowning, coronary artery disease, and buprenorphine effects listed.
May 2024
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed an investigation into Perry’s death, particularly focusing on how he acquired the ketamine found in his system.
August 15, 2024
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California issued a press release announcing the arrest of Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a licensed physician, and Jasveen Sangha, known as “The Ketamine Queen,” in connection with Perry’s death. Both were charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Sangha faced additional charges of maintaining a drug-involved premises, possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possessing ketamine with intent to distribute, and five counts of ketamine distribution. Plasencia was charged with seven counts of ketamine distribution and two counts of document falsification related to the federal investigation.
Three others charged in connection with Perry’s death were Iwamasa, Fleming, and Dr. Chavez. Fleming pleaded guilty on August 8 to conspiracy to distribute ketamine and distribution of ketamine resulting in death, admitting in court documents to distributing the ketamine that led to Perry’s death. Iwamasa pleaded guilty on August 7 to conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, admitting he repeatedly injected Perry without medical training, including on the day of Perry’s death. Chavez agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada commented, “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, sends a clear message that we will hold drug-dealers accountable for the deaths they cause.”
August 30, 2024
Chavez appeared in a Los Angeles court on August 30, following a plea deal to cooperate with prosecutors, according to the Associated Press. Although he agreed to plead guilty, he did not enter his plea during this appearance. Chavez’s lawyer, Matthew Binninger, stated, “He’s incredibly remorseful. 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.”
June 16, 2025
Plasencia reached a plea agreement with the Department of Justice, facing a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, as reported by Deadline. The plea agreement stated, “At the earliest opportunity requested by the USAO and provided by the Court, appear and plead guilty to Counts Six, Eight, Nine, and Ten of the first superseding indictment in United States v. Salvador Plasencia, which each charge defendant with distribution of ketamine.” The agreement included a recommendation for a “two-level reduction in the applicable Sentencing Guidelines offense level,” potentially reducing Plasencia’s sentence by several years. Chavez and Iwamasa, who also submitted guilty pleas, were scheduled for sentencing in fall 2025.
July 23, 2025
Plasencia pleaded guilty to four counts of ketamine distribution a month after taking the plea deal. His attorney, Karen Goldstein, stated, “Dr. Plasencia is profoundly remorseful for the treatment decisions he made while providing ketamine to Matthew Perry. He is fully accepting responsibility by pleading guilty to drug distribution.” Plasencia was released on bond until his sentencing on December 3, 2025, facing a possible 40-year sentence. He also agreed to surrender his medical license. Goldstein added that Plasencia recognized his “failure to protect” Perry and hoped his case would prompt stricter oversight in the at-home ketamine industry to prevent similar tragedies.
September 3, 2025
Sangha pleaded guilty to five federal charges related to Perry’s death, as reported by the Associated Press. Her charges included three counts of ketamine distribution, one count of ketamine distribution resulting in death, and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises. Her sentencing was set for December 10.
December 3, 2025
Plasencia received a 30-month prison sentence, nearly two and a half years, according to the Los Angeles Times. He will serve two years of supervised release following his imprisonment.
April 8, 2026
Jasveen Sangha, dubbed the “Ketamine Queen,” was sentenced to 15 years in prison by a federal judge after pleading guilty to selling Matthew Perry the ketamine that led to his death in 2023. Sangha expressed remorse in court, saying, “These were not mistakes. They were horrible decisions [which] shattered people’s lives and the lives of their family and friends,” according to the Associated Press. Prior to her sentencing, Matthew’s stepmother, Debbie Perry, submitted a victim impact letter to the court, stating, “The pain you’ve caused to hundreds, maybe thousands, is irreversible. There is no joy to be found, no light in the window. They won’t be back. That thought comes through our day everyday.”
Matthew’s stepfather, Dateline correspondent Keith Morrison, also addressed the court, expressing the ongoing grief felt by him and Matthew’s mother, Suzanne Perry. He remarked, “There was a spark to that man I have never seen anywhere else. He should have had another act. Two more acts.”
May 13, 2026
Fleming was sentenced to two years in prison, as reported by multiple outlets.
