Beloved “Friends” star Matthew Perry appeared to “freeze up” after a doctor — who was charged in connection to his death on Thursday — injected him with a “large dose” of ketamine just two weeks before he overdosed.
Salvador Plascencia, was charged along with another doctor, Mark Chavez; Perry’s longtime assistant Kenneth Iwamasa; alleged street dealer Erik Fleming; and Jasveen Sangha, the so-called “Ketamine Queen of Los Angeles.” They are accused of bilking thousands of dollars from the 54-year-old actor for vials of ketamine that cost as little as $12, authorities said.
Plascencia, 42, had a license to prescribe and administer the powerful tranquilizer, but took an opportunity to cash in on Perry’s well-documented drug abuse — even texting Iwamasa: “I wonder how much this moron will pay” for ketamine as the actor spiraled out of control, according to an indictment.
But 16 days before he was found dead in a hot tub at his California home in October, the doctor appeared to pull back when Perry suffered an episode in which he seemed to “freeze up” and his blood pressure skyrocketed after he was administered a “large dose” of ketamine.
“Let’s not do that again,” he told Iwamasa, 59.
Iwamasa, who lived with Perry and was his assistant since 1994, administered at least 27 shots of ketamine to his boss during the final five days of his life — including three that prosecutors allege resulted in his “death and serious bodily injury.”
At the time of his death, Perry had been undergoing weeks of ketamine therapy for depression. When the physicians at the clinic refused to increase his ketamine dosage, the “Fools Rush In” star reached out to Plasencia, Anne Milgram, administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, said Thursday.
Plasencia asked Chavez, 54, for help obtaining the drugs for Perry, she added.
From September until Perry’s Oct. 28 death, Plasencia and Chavez allegedly supplied him with about 20 vials of ketamine in exchange for around $55,000 in cash, including having Perry shell out $2,000 for a $12 vial of the drug.
He also expressed a desire to become Perry’s “go-to” for drugs, authorities said. Iwamasa, who had no medical training, also injected Perry with the drug based on instructions from Plasencia.
Plascencia allegedly sold Iwamasa another $6,000 worth of ketamine despite knowing Perry’s addiction was becoming potentially deadly.
Authorities believe that Perry’s final, fatal dose of ketamine was supplied by Sangha.
Plascencia and Sangha are both charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
Plasencia is additionally charged with seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to a federal investigation.
Sangha, who allegedly ran a stash house, has also been charged with one count of maintaining drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine.
Fleming, Iwamasa and Chavez each accepted a deal confessing to conspiracy to distribute ketamine and conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death.
