Matthew Perry's Ketamine Dealer Called Actor's Assistant an 'Enabler'

Matthew Perry’s drug dealer, Erik Fleming, is pointing fingers at the actor’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, for allegedly being the catalyst in his death.

In Fleming’s plea agreement obtained by Us Weekly, the ketamine dealer claimed that he “never dealt” with Perry directly, “only his assistant.” Fleming alleged, “So the assistant was the enabler,” referring to Iwamasa, who worked for Perry prior to his death in October 2023. (Perry was found unresponsive in his jacuzzi at the age of 54. It was later determined he died from “the acute effects of ketamine.”)

Fleming detailed being the middleman between Jasveen Sangha, who is known as “The Ketamine Queen,” and Iwamasa, who admitted to injecting Perry with the drug on numerous occasions. “The hook up was able to get the kind that is used for intramuscular. It’s exactly what [Perry] wants,” Fleming texted Iwamasa ahead of their initial October 2023 drug deal, according to the court docs. “I guarantee it’s going to be amazing.”

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Iwamasa allegedly purchased “25 vials [totaling] $5500 @220 + 500 for you for logistics” on behalf of Perry. The order was delivered by Fleming to Iwamasa at Perry’s home in Los Angeles on October 14, 2023, per the docs.

Less than 10 days later, Iwamasa allegedly texted Fleming asking for the “same as last time” to be delivered “over next 2 days.” Fleming complied, purchasing another 25 vials from Sangha, which were handed over to Iwamasa on October 24, 2023. Fleming said Sangha included an “add on” of ketamine lollipops for Perry because of the “large ketamine order.”

Fleming claimed that between October 24, 2023, and October 28, 2023, Iwamasa “repeatedly administered shots of the ketamine,” including the “shots that resulted in the death and serious bodily injury” of Perry, who died on October 28, 2023.

A toxicology report in December 2023 determined that there was ketamine in Perry’s system that contributed to his death. The drug, along with drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine (which is used to treat opioid use), were listed as factors by the coroner.

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The use of ketamine wasn’t obvious at first because of how clean the area surrounding Perry appeared when both police and the medical examiner arrived on scene. “Prescription medication and loose pills present at residence, however, none reported near pool and no medications, drugs or drug paraphernalia adjacent to the pool,” the autopsy report obtained by Us read.

According to Fleming, Perry’s assistant was responsible for the lack of evidence. “Iwamasa told defendant Fleming that he had cleaned up the scene, including the ketamine bottles and syringes, and that he had ‘deleted everything,’ Fleming claimed in his plea deal, alleging that Iwamasa called him with the details “on or about October 30, 2023.”

While Perry’s death was initially ruled an accident, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced earlier this month that five individuals had been charged in connection with Perry’s death: Fleming, Iwamasa, Sangha, Dr. Salvador Plasencia and Dr. Mark Chavez.

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Iwamasa pleaded guilty in August to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. Perry’s assistant admitted to repeatedly injecting the late actor with ketamine without medical training, including on the day he died.

Fleming also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Plasencia and Chavez were both charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Plasencia pleaded not guilty, while Chavez agreed to plead guilty.

Sangha was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine as well as one count of maintaining a 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. She has pleaded not guilty.