Eric Fleming Sentenced for Role in Matthew Perry’s Death
A judge recently sentenced Eric Fleming to two years in federal prison after he confessed to distributing the ketamine that led to the death of “Friends” actor Matthew Perry.
In the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Fleming received an additional three years of supervised release. He had sought leniency, requesting that the court impose a lighter sentence that involved just three months in prison, followed by a nine-month drug treatment program and the three years of supervised release, as outlined in a letter submitted before the sentencing.
Fleming, a television director and an acquaintance of Perry, previously served as the Program Director at Bel Air Treatment Center Red Door. Allegations from federal authorities suggest that he, a trained addiction counselor, exploited his position to facilitate drug transactions for personal profit.
Court documents reveal that Fleming admitted to providing 50 vials of ketamine to Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa. In August 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of ketamine distribution resulting in death and one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
Fleming informed the court that he obtained the ketamine from Jasveen Sangha, who is referred to as the “Ketamine Queen.” Sangha was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison on April 8. Iwamasa is scheduled to face sentencing on May 27.
Perry, renowned for his role as Chandler Bing in the iconic show Friends, was found unresponsive in his home’s swimming pool on October 28, 2023, and was later declared dead, according to a report from the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office dated December 2023.
The coroner attributed Perry’s death to the acute effects of ketamine, with contributing factors noted as drowning, coronary artery disease, and issues related to buprenorphine, a medication for opioid use disorder. His untimely passing has reignited discussions about the risks associated with ketamine, a drug that has become common in certain Hollywood circles, especially among those in recovery.
