One of two doctors pleaded guilty in connection to Matthew Perry’s death.
Dr. Mark Chavez was charged with conspiring to distribute the surgical anesthetic ketamine and made an agreement with the prosecution in their search for further suspects, including another doctor who allegedly agreed to supply Matthew with ketamine. Chavez’s guilty plea could land him up to 10 years in prison.
He is the third person to plead guilty. The two others were Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who admitted to helping him get the drug and inject it, and Eric Fleming who admitted to acting as a middleman. It is anticipated that the prosecution would proceed with filing charges against Dr. Salvador Plasencia and Jasveen Sangha, “the ketamine queen.”
Chavez reportedly admitted to getting the ketamine from his former clinic as a wholesale distributor and submitted false prescriptions to be able to do so. According to ABC7, his lawyer Matthew Binninger said after Chavez’s first court appearance on Aug. 30 that he was “incredibly remorseful” and was “trying to do everything in his power to right the wrong that happened here.”
While awaiting trial, Chavez was allowed out on bond after surrendering his passport to mitigate any flight risk. Perry’s personal assistant is also aiding prosecutors and investigators. They admitted to helping him obtain and inject ketamine while an acquaintance of the Fools Rush In actor admitted to acting as a drug messenger.
The Friends actor, known for his role as Chandler Bing, was found dead at his home in Oct. 2023. Perry was reportedly found unresponsive in his hot tub. He was 54 years old. At first, his cause of death was unclear, but it was later announced that he suffered from a ketamine overdose.
Initially, reports indicated that Perry was undergoing ketamine treatment for depression. However, later investigation indicated that the actor was abusing the substance. He previously was open about his struggle with mental health and substance abuse.
The Friends’ official X, formerly known as Twitter, account confirmed news of Perry’s death, posting: “We are devastated to learn of Matthew Perry’s passing. He was a true gift to us all. Our heart goes out to his family, loved ones, and all of his fans.”