As the investigation into Matthew Perry’s death continues, some of those arrested in connection to the tragedy have begun to point fingers.
According to the legal documents obtained by In Touch, Erik Fleming, Perry’s drug dealer, accused Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, of “enabling” the Friends star’s addiction.
“I never dealt with [Matthew Perry]. Only his Assistant,” a text message from Fleming included in the documents read. “So the Assistant was the enabler. Also they are doing a 3 month tox screening … Does [ketamine] stay in your system or is it immediately flushed out[?]”
In separate legal documents obtained by In Touch, Iwamasa, 59, admitted to injecting Perry with the drug several times the day that he died. The documents stated that Iwamasa gave Perry his first dose at “approximately 8:30 a.m.” on October 28, 2023, followed by a second injection less than four hours later.
The Whole Nine Yards star requested a third injection “approximately 40 minutes later.” Iwamasa claimed that Perry asked him to “shoot [him] up with a big one.” After administering the third injection to Perry by his jacuzzi, Iwamasa left the Pacific Palisades home to run errands. When he returned, he discovered Perry face-down in the water.
Officials arrived at the scene and Perry was pronounced dead. He was 54.
The paperwork also revealed how far the 17 Again actor had spiraled into addiction and said that in the days before his death, Perry was receiving “approximately 6-8 shots a day” of ketamine. Iwamasa also stated that he found Perry unconscious two separate times in October 2023 before his death.
Almost a year after Perry’s passing, officials arrested five people in connection with his death – Jasveen Sangha, a woman known as the “Ketamine Queen,” Dr. Salvador Plasencia, Dr. Mark Chavez, as well as Fleming and Iwamasa. Chavez, 54, admitted to diverting ketamine from his former clinic in order to sell to Plasencia and agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
According to the indictment obtained by In Touch, Plasencia supplied the syringe to administer the ketamine and had previously distributed the drug to Perry and Iwamasa. Prosecutors stated that Fleming admitted to distributing the ketamine that killed the Fools Rush In star, and he previously pleaded guilty on August 8 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death.
Police confirmed that Perry was addicted to IV-administered ketamine before his death during a press conference on August 15.
“Mr. Perry sought treatment for depression and anxiety and went to a local clinic where He became addicted to intravenous ketamine,” DEA administrator Anne Milgram said. “When clinic doctors refused to incr
ease his dosage, he turned to unscrupulous doctors who saw Perry as a way to make quick money.”
After the arrests were made, Perry’s stepfather, Keith Morrison, released a statement saying he was hoping for “justice.”
“We were and still are heartbroken by Matthew’s death, but it has helped to know law enforcement has taken his case very seriously,” Morrison, 77, told People on August 16. “We look forward to justice taking its course and we’re grateful for the exceptional work of the multiple agencies whose agents investigated Matthew’s death.”
Morrison continued, “We’re hoping unscrupulous suppliers of dangerous drugs will get the message.”
