Erik Fleming, a former film director and alleged "street dealer" for Matthew Perry, has pleaded guilty to two charges related to the late actor's death investigation. The Department of Justice reports that Fleming supplied multiple vials of ketamine to Perry's personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, in the days leading up to the actor's passing in October 2023.
An exclusive report by The Hollywood Reporter reveals that Fleming previously served as the sober living manager and program director at Red Door, a high-end rehabilitation facility in Bel-Air. In January 2021, William Cooney, a 36-year-old patient at Red Door, died from an overdose while under the facility's care.
Attorney Michael J. Plonsker, representing Red Door, stated that Fleming "was not in the facility on the day" of Cooney's death. Citing federal health confidentiality regulations, Plonsker declined to provide further details about the incident. He emphasized that Red Door operates at "the highest levels of client care" and asserted that "Red Door and its founders bear no responsibility for his death."
Contradicting these claims, former staff members and patients told The Hollywood Reporter that Cooney was able to access the drugs that led to his overdose due to inadequate monitoring and evaluation by the facility.
At the time of his death, Cooney was reportedly in a relationship with actress Brooke Mueller, who is said to be assisting authorities in the investigation into Perry's overdose. Sources indicate that Mueller had known Fleming for several years. Sarah Morse, Cooney's ex-wife, described his relationship with Mueller as a pivotal moment in his struggle with addiction.
"When I look back at when things truly began to unravel, it all started when he met Brooke Mueller, who also struggled with addiction," Morse told The Hollywood Reporter.
Morse also claimed that despite Red Door's "bad reputation," Mueller and Fleming encouraged Cooney to enroll in the facility. Following Cooney's death, his family and close friends reportedly urged law enforcement to investigate Red Door and its affiliates more thoroughly, even after the Los Angeles Police Department concluded its initial inquiry into the case.
