Dr. Marc Siegel on Matthew Perry case: It's 'clear this is illicit use'
'America Reports' panelists Dr. Marc Siegel and Mark Eiglarsh react to arrests announced in the death of Matthew Perry.
Matthew Perry relied on multiple individuals to supply and administer the ketamine that ultimately led to his fatal overdose in October. During a press conference on Thursday, Martin Estrada, the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, announced the arrest of five defendants, including two doctors, who now face multiple charges related to Perry's death.
Among the defendants is Perry's live-in assistant, Kenny Iwamasa, who allegedly learned to inject ketamine from co-defendant Dr. Salvador Plasencia. Dr. Plasencia reportedly left vials of the drug at Perry's Pacific Palisades home for Iwamasa to administer. The ketamine was allegedly sourced through 'The Ketamine Queen,' Jasveen Sangha, her co-conspirator Dr. Mark Chavez, and middleman Eric Fleming.
Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, and West Coast Trial Lawyers president, told Fox News Digital that Perry was exploited due to his celebrity status and ultimately paid 'the ultimate price.'
FIVE PEOPLE CHARGED IN MATTHEW PERRY DEATH INVESTIGATION
"Rahmani explained, 'Celebrities often have entourages that act like leeches. With all their money, some people exploit them, profiting from their wealth and vulnerabilities.'
He continued, 'Matthew Perry had a well-known opioid addiction, and despite his efforts to manage it, some individuals exploited his struggle. They charged him exorbitant amounts for ketamine, preying on his addiction. It's truly heartbreaking.'
Text messages revealed in the indictments allegedly show Plasencia writing to Chavez, 'I wonder how much this moron will pay,' followed by 'Let's find out.' Both Plasencia and Chavez were licensed medical doctors in California, according to the indictment.
Estrada shared that at one point, the defendants sold Perry approximately '20 vials for $50,000 in cash,' with the intent for Iwamasa to administer the drug. In another transaction, the dealers exploited Perry further by selling him '50 vials of ketamine for $11,000 in cash.'
Iwamasa confessed to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine, despite having no medical training, including administering multiple doses on the day of Perry's death. He pleaded guilty on August 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death and has already reached a plea agreement, according to Estrada."
"Jasveen Sangha, known as 'The Ketamine Queen,' allegedly operated a stash house in North Hollywood, California, where controlled substances, including methamphetamine (a Schedule II drug) and ketamine (a Schedule III drug), were manufactured, stored, and distributed, according to court documents.
Sangha had a prior history of selling ketamine, and her involvement in Matthew Perry's death led to her indictment in connection with the 2019 overdose of Cody McLaury.
Eric Fleming, who acted as a broker between Sangha and her clients, once reassured Perry's assistant via text that Sangha 'only deals with high-end clients and celebrities. If the product wasn't top quality, she'd be out of business.'"
United States Attorney Martin Estrada said doctors "took advantage" of Matthew Perry by selling him large amounts of ketamine, which ultimately killed him. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
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On October 14, 2023, Kenny Iwamasa agreed to purchase 25 vials of ketamine. A week later, on October 23, he texted Eric Fleming requesting the "same as last time over the next 2 days." The ketamine delivered on October 24 was the substance that led to Matthew Perry's death four days later.
According to the indictment, Iwamasa administered at least 18 ketamine injections to Perry between October 25-27, and at least three more on the day of Perry's death.
Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, views the case as straightforward. "The evidence is strong. The text messages are incredibly incriminating, and several defendants have already pleaded guilty, seeing the inevitable outcome. The dealers have no defense—they don't have DEA licenses or legitimate reasons to possess ketamine or methamphetamine. They're finished."
Jasveen Sangha and Dr. Salvador Plasencia were charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Sangha also faces additional charges, including maintaining a drug-involved premises, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute ketamine, and five counts of ketamine distribution.
If convicted on all counts, Sangha could face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in federal prison, with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Plasencia faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each ketamine-related charge and up to 20 years for each count of falsifying records.
Dr. Mark Chavez, a San Diego-based doctor, agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine as part of a plea deal. He admitted to selling ketamine to Plasencia, including supplies diverted from his former ketamine clinic.
Eric Anderson, a former prosecutor and current counsel at Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae LLP, told Fox News Digital that the charges against those involved in Matthew Perry's death are straightforward.
Matthew Perry died in October from "acute effects of ketamine." (Christopher Polk)
"If your drug dealing results in the death of a prominent individual, you'll be charged with murder, and it won't go unnoticed," Anderson stated.
He added, "Matthew Perry was a beloved celebrity with well-known struggles with substance abuse, which he openly discussed as part of his journey to stay sober. The allegations suggest that people close to him, who had significant access to him, exploited his vulnerability and even mocked it. Despite warnings about the serious health risks of providing and injecting him with ketamine, they allegedly continued their actions."
Rither Alabre, a former New York prosecutor and partner in the White Collar Group at Blank Rome LLP, told Fox News Digital that by charging the dealers in this high-profile case, prosecutors are "definitely sending a strong message."
"There’s been a recent trend of prosecutors holding dealers accountable for providing the drugs that lead to the deaths of high-profile individuals," Alabre noted.
He pointed to the case of actor Michael K. Williams (The Wire), where federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York (SDNY) charged the dealer responsible for supplying the fentanyl-laced heroin that led to his death. That dealer was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Similarly, SDNY prosecutors charged the dealer responsible for the drugs that caused the death of Robert De Niro’s grandson, who now faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for each of the two counts against her.
Alabre highlighted the significance of federal prosecutors leading the Perry investigation, emphasizing their access to greater resources and collaboration with various agencies.
"Defendants are more likely to receive significantly higher sentences in federal court," Alabre explained. "In Perry's case, one defendant faces a minimum of 10 years and could receive a life sentence. The prosecutors have gone beyond charging the dealers; they've also indicted two doctors (not Perry's regular physicians) who allegedly supplied the drugs to the dealers. This sends a powerful message about the seriousness with which these cases are being pursued."
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