A Los Angeles judge has sentenced Erik Fleming, a licensed drug addiction counsellor, to two years in prison for his role in the death of Friends actor Matthew Perry. Fleming, 56, acted as a middleman by delivering the dose of ketamine that killed Perry in October 2023. He had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine and distribution resulting in death.
Before the sentencing, Fleming expressed remorse, saying, 'It’s truly a nightmare I can’t wake up from. I’m haunted by the mistakes I made.' He was the fourth defendant sentenced in the case, with five people having pleaded guilty over Perry’s death. The actor, who had a long history of addiction, was found dead in his Jacuzzi after receiving a ketamine injection from his assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa.
Fleming connected Perry to Jasveen Sangha, known as the 'Ketamine Queen', who was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Fleming cooperated with authorities early on, which reduced his potential sentence from around four years. Prosecutors acknowledged his cooperation but noted that as a drug counsellor who sold illegal street drugs to a vulnerable addict, his culpability was significant.
Fleming, a former film and television producer, had become a drug counsellor after his own battle with addiction but relapsed after a family death. He obtained ketamine from Sangha, marked up the price, and delivered it to Perry’s home. His deliveries included 25 vials for $6,000 four days before Perry’s death. Iwamasa injected Perry from that batch, leading to his death from acute effects of ketamine, with drowning as a secondary cause.
