Doctor Pleads Guilty in Actor Matthew Perry’s Drug-Related Death
LOS ANGELES — In a stunning turn of events, Dr. Mark Chavez has entered a guilty plea in connection to the drug-related death of beloved actor Matthew Perry.
Chavez, 54, made the decision to change his plea to guilty in a Los Angeles court, admitting to a charge of conspiring to distribute the surgical anesthetic ketamine.
The doctor, who ran a ketamine clinic, sold ketamine lozenges to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who then supplied them to Perry, best known for his role on the hit NBC sitcom Friends.
Perry, aged 54, tragically passed away in his backyard jacuzzi in southern California in October 2023. A post-mortem examination revealed a high concentration of ketamine in his blood, leading to the conclusion that the “acute effects” of the substance were responsible for his death.
Ketamine, typically used to treat depression, anxiety, and pain, played a deadly role in this case.
As part of his plea agreement, Chavez confessed to obtaining ketamine through fraudulent means from his former clinic and a wholesale distributor.
Prosecutors alleged that Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, collaborated with the two doctors to provide the actor with over $50,000 (£38,000) worth of ketamine in the weeks leading up to his untimely death.
Text messages exchanged between the medical professionals revealed discussions about how much money Perry could be charged for vials of the drug, including one message that callously stated: “I wonder how much this moron will pay.”
While the plea deal allows Chavez to admit guilt to a lesser charge in exchange for his cooperation with the investigation, he still faces a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
“He has accepted responsibility. He is cooperating,” his attorney affirmed in court.
Chavez has surrendered his passport and agreed to immediately relinquish his medical license. He remains free on bail until his sentencing scheduled for April 2, 2025. — BBC
