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Doctor Pleads Guilty in Matthew Perry’s Death, Faces 40 Years for Illicit Ketamine Supply

Doctor Pleads Guilty in Matthew Perry’s Death, Faces 40 Years for Illicit Ketamine Supply Dr. Salvador Plasencia Mark Chavez

E! News

Doctor Pleads Guilty in Matthew Perry’s Death, Faces 40 Years for Illicit Ketamine Supply

The tragic circumstances surrounding the death of beloved Friends star Matthew Perry have taken a grim turn as Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a California-based physician, pleaded guilty to four counts of drug distribution in federal court on Wednesday. The charges stem from the illegal supply of ketamine that ultimately led to Perry’s fatal overdose in October 2023.

Salvador Plasencia, who faces up to 40 years in federal prison, admitted to distributing large quantities of the powerful anesthetic outside legitimate medical practice. Prosecutors said the doctor sold both liquid ketamine and lozenges to Matthew Perry in the weeks before his death, even instructing the actor’s untrained assistant on how to administer injections.

According to court documents, Matthew Perry had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy to treat anxiety and depression. However, he was also actively seeking the drug through unofficial and illegal channels—exploiting a network of individuals, including Salvador Plasencia and another doctor, Mark Chavez, who also pled guilty in the case.



Investigators revealed that in the month leading up to his death, Matthew Perry paid Salvador Plasencia over $55,000 for ketamine. Federal prosecutors cited disturbing text messages exchanged between Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez, mocking the actor’s addiction and discussing how much money they could extract from him.

“I wonder how much this moron will pay,” Salvador Plasencia allegedly texted Mark Chavez. “Let’s find out.”

Matthew Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, also pleaded guilty in 2024. He told authorities that Perry was introduced to Plasencia shortly before his death. Kenneth Iwamasa’s plea agreement detailed how he injected Matthew Perry with ketamine under Salvador Plasencia’s instructions—despite having no medical training.

Plasencia, now awaiting sentencing on December 3, will voluntarily surrender his medical license. His legal team released a statement acknowledging his failure to protect Perry, who was “especially vulnerable due to addiction.”

“Dr. Plasencia is profoundly remorseful for the treatment decisions he made while providing ketamine to Matthew Perry,” the statement read.

Dr. Salvador Plasencia - the doctor who supplied Ketamine to Matthew Perry has pleaded guilty

Dr. Salvador Plasencia – the doctor who supplied Ketamine to Matthew Perry has pleaded guilty.

The Los Angeles Medical Examiner ruled Matthew Perry’s death an accident caused by the acute effects of ketamine, though additional substances were present. Perry, long public about his struggles with substance use, had published a memoir in 2022 detailing his near-death experiences and ongoing battle with addiction.

The Unraveling Tragedy: How Close Contacts Exploited Matthew Perry’s Vulnerabilities

Now, the legal proceedings shine a harsh spotlight on medical professionals who exploit celebrity addiction for profit. The Department of Justice has made clear it will continue to target unethical prescribers in high-profile overdose cases.

As the entertainment world continues to mourn the actor who brought Chandler Bing to life, the courtroom reckoning adds a sobering postscript to a story that could have ended in recovery — but instead ended in betrayal.


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