Matthew Perry's Doctor Pleads Guilty in Drug Case

Doctor Pleads Guilty in Connection with Matthew Perry's Death

A doctor has pleaded guilty to distributing ketamine to Matthew Perry, the actor best known for his role as Chandler Bing in Friends. Perry passed away in October 2023 at the age of 54. An autopsy later determined that he died from the “acute effects of ketamine.” Following an investigation, five individuals were charged in connection with his death, including his live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, Erik Fleming, Dr. Salvador Plasencia, Dr. Mark Chavez, and Jasveen Sangha, who was referred to as the “Ketamine Queen.”

Dr. Plasencia appeared in federal court in Los Angeles earlier this week and entered a guilty plea to four counts of distributing ketamine. According to reports, the 43-year-old only spoke to answer the judge’s questions, confirming that his legal team had considered the potential consequences of his plea and sentencing.

In a statement, his lawyer expressed deep remorse for the decisions made while providing ketamine to Perry. The lawyer emphasized that Dr. Plasencia is fully accepting responsibility by pleading guilty to drug distribution. He also stated that the doctor intends to voluntarily surrender his medical license, acknowledging his failure to protect Perry, who was particularly vulnerable due to his addiction.

Dr. Plasencia initially pleaded not guilty but changed his plea last month after reaching an agreement with prosecutors. As part of the deal, two counts of falsifying records and three additional counts of distribution were dropped. He was accused of supplying most of Perry’s ketamine in the final weeks of his life and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison.

According to Rolling Stone, Dr. Plasencia signed the agreement on June 13, admitting to administering ketamine to Perry in the backseat of a parked car in California. In another instance, he allegedly visited Perry’s home in October 2023 to give him the drug and witnessed his blood pressure spike, causing the actor to “freeze up.” Despite this reaction, Dr. Plasencia left additional vials of ketamine with Iwamasa, knowing that Iwamasa would inject the drug into Perry.

Perry had been in the public eye for decades due to his role in Friends alongside Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, and David Schwimmer. Throughout his career, he openly discussed his struggles with addiction, including in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. Court documents indicate that Perry was using ketamine six to eight times a day in the weeks leading up to his death.

It is believed that Perry sought out Dr. Plasencia about a month before his death after asking Dr. Chavez for help obtaining the drug. Prosecutors claimed that they conspired to supply Perry with around 20 vials in exchange for $55,000 during the last weeks of his life. They charged Perry $2,000 for a single vial, which reportedly cost Chavez around $12.

Text messages uncovered in the indictment revealed that Dr. Plasencia called Perry a “moron” and questioned how much he would be willing to pay for the drugs. Dr. Plasencia will be sentenced on December 3, while Dr. Chavez’s hearing is scheduled for September 17. Erik Fleming is set to appear in court on November 12, and Kenneth Iwamasa’s sentencing will take place on November 19.

Jasveen Sangha remains the only defendant who has not reached an agreement. She is accused of being a major ketamine dealer and is alleged to have provided the lethal dose that led to Perry’s death. She has pleaded not guilty, and her trial is set to begin next month.

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