Trial date set for doctor and ‘ketamine queen’ charged in connection with Matthew Perry’s death
Jasveen Sangha, allegedly dubbed the 'ketamine queen', and Dr Salvador Plasencia have received a trial date after being accused of playing 'key' roles in the death of Matthew Perry.
Sangha and Plasencia were charged alongside three others in connection with Friends actor Perry's death.
A post-mortem found that Perry died as a result of the 'acute effects of ketamine', alongside contributing factors including 'drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine'.
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It has now been confirmed that Sangha, alongside Plasencia, will face trial on 4 March 2025, according to newly released court documents.
Both have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Sangha was charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine, maintaining a drug-involved premises, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute ketamine, and five counts of distribution of ketamine.
Meanwhile, Plasencia was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
An affidavit was filed in a Los Angeles federal court by Tyler Abrego, a freshman DEA agent, which detailed a raid on the home of the so-called 'ketamine queen'.
It stated: "During the search, law enforcement seized significant quantities of illegal drugs, including approximately 1,978 grams of orange pills that field tested positive for methamphetamine, 79 bottles containing a clear liquid that field tested positive for ketamine, and various other suspect narcotics."
Perry had been open about his struggles with drug addiction throughout his life and became addicted to ketamine after he was initially prescribed the drug to treat anxiety and depression.
Perry was found unresponsive at his home in Pacific Palisades, LA, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
He was found by his personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa who has since admitted to administering him with the dose of ketamine that killed him.
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram has stated: "We allege each of the defendants played a key role in his death by falsely prescribing, selling, or injecting the ketamine that caused Matthew Perry's tragic death.
"Matthew Perry's journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials."
Martin Estrada, a United States Attorney, previously told a press briefing: "These defendants took advantage of Mr Perry's addiction issues to enrich themselves.
"They knew what they were doing was wrong, they knew what they were doing was risking great danger to Mr Perry, but they did it anyways.
"In the end these defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr Perry than caring for his well being."
He continued: "As many of you know, Mr Perry struggled with addiction in the past. Now many occasions he saw it help for his addiction issues.
"The investigation revealed in the fall of 2023, Mr Perry fell back into addiction, and these defendants took advantage to profit for themselves."
Topics: Matthew Perry, Friends, Crime, US News, News
Kya Buller