Multiple People Charged in Connection with Matthew Perry's Death, Including Doctors and His Assistant

Multiple people have been charged in connection with the death of Matthew Perry, authorities announced on Aug. 15. Two of the suspects were doctors and one was Perry's personal assistant.

Jasveen Sangha — who United States Attorney Martin Estrada said is referred to as "The Ketamine Queen" — and Dr. Salvador Plascencia were named as the first two defendants in the case.

Sangha is facing one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, 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, the Department of Justice announced.

Plascencia, a licensed physician, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.

Kenneth Iwamasa (who was Perry's assistant), Erik Fleming and Dr. Mark Chavez have been charged separately in connection with the actor's death, per the DOJ.

Iwamasa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. He "repeatedly" injected Perry with ketamine "without medical training, including performing multiple injections on Perry on October 28, 2023 – the day Perry died," the DOJ release states.

Fleming pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Chavez will plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, per the DOJ.

During the press conference on Aug. 15, Estrada said the investigation into Perry's death revealed a "broad underground criminal network responsible for delivering a large quantity of ketamine to Matthew Perry and others."

He also stated that it was discovered that Perry fell back into addiction in Fall 2023.

"In the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr. Perry than caring for his well being," Estrada said.

The former Friends star died on Oct. 28 at age 54 from an accidental drug overdose. An autopsy report concluded that Perry died from acute effects of ketamine. Other contributing factors included drowning, coronary artery disease and effects from buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder.

The Los Angeles Police Department began an investigation into the star’s death in May. An investigative source with the LAPD told PEOPLE at the time that the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. postal inspectors were also involved in the investigation.

Perry, who was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy at the time of his death, talked about his struggles with addiction in his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.

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“I wanted to share when I was safe from going into the dark side again,” Perry told PEOPLE for a 2022 cover story. “I had to wait until I was pretty safely sober — and away from the active disease of alcoholism and addiction — to write it all down. I was pretty certain that it would help people if I did.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.