Matthew Perry death: Doctor pleads guilty to ketamine distribution

A California physician has admitted to conspiring to distribute ketamine to actor Matthew Perry before his death. Dr Mark Chavez entered a guilty plea on October 2 in a Los Angeles court, facing up to 10 years in prison.

Perry, known for his role in "F.R.I.E.N.D.S", died in October 2023 from the "acute effects of ketamine," which led to drowning in a hot tub. The autopsy report, released in December, confirmed these findings.

Chavez, who operated a ketamine clinic, sold ketamine lotions to Dr Salvador Plasencia, who then distributed them to Perry. Text messages revealed the doctors discussing how much money they could extract from Perry for ketamine. Plasencia reportedly referred to the actor as a "moron" in these exchanges.

Both Chavez and Plasencia have surrendered their medical licenses. While Chavez has pleaded guilty, Plasencia maintains his innocence against conspiracy charges.

Three others are implicated in Perry's death: his assistant Kenneth Iwamasa and friend Erik Fleming have pleaded guilty to ketamine-related charges, while alleged drug dealer Jasveen Sangha has pleaded not guilty.

Chavez's attorney, Matthew Binninger, stated his client is "incredibly remorseful" and cooperating fully with authorities. Sentencing for Chavez is scheduled for April 2, 2025.