A drug addiction therapist who provided Matthew Perry, the beloved actor from the show “Friends,” with fatal doses of ketamine was sentenced to two years in prison on Wednesday. Erik Fleming, 56, received the sentence from Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett in a federal court in Los Angeles. Expressing deep remorse, Fleming described the situation as a never-ending nightmare and acknowledged his past mistakes.
Fleming was the fourth out of five defendants who pleaded guilty in connection to Perry’s tragic death in 2023. He facilitated Perry’s connection to Jasveen Sangha, a convicted drug dealer known as the “Ketamine Queen,” who received a 15-year prison sentence last month.
Despite Fleming’s cooperation with authorities and early admission of guilt in August 2024, resulting in a reduced sentence under federal guidelines, he faced the consequences of distributing ketamine that led to Perry’s death. Prosecutors acknowledged his assistance but also highlighted his grave error as a drug counselor engaging in illegal drug transactions with a well-known addiction sufferer like Perry.
Fleming’s defense team requested a lenient sentence of three months in prison followed by nine months in a residential drug treatment program, emphasizing his efforts to make amends for his actions. The therapist expressed profound regret for the pain he caused Perry’s family and friends, acknowledging the irreversible consequences of his actions.
Perry had been undergoing ketamine therapy for depression before his passing, seeking additional doses beyond medical channels. Introducing Fleming as a source for the drug, a friend in treatment connected Perry to the counselor. Fleming, a former entertainment industry professional turned counselor, struggled with addiction himself, which resurfaced following the loss of a supportive stepmother in 2023.
Fleming’s supply of ketamine to Perry’s residence through Sangha, his involvement in the transaction process, and the subsequent tragic outcome were detailed in court proceedings. The fatal dose administered to Perry by his personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, led to the actor’s untimely death, attributed to ketamine’s effects and secondary drowning, as per the medical examiner’s report.
The sentencing of Iwamasa, who found Perry deceased after the injection, is scheduled in two weeks, marking the conclusion of legal proceedings related to Perry’s death. As a renowned actor best known for his role as Chandler Bing on “Friends,” Perry’s estate plans to auction his belongings, with proceeds benefiting the foundation established in his honor posthumously.
