Salvador Plasencia, Matthew Perry’s psychiatrist, will plead guilty to four federal offenses related to the illicit sale of ketamine, bringing the high-profile case involving the beloved actor’s death one step closer to closure.
Perry, well recognized globally for his role as Chandler Bing on Friends, died in October 2023. He was 54 years old when he was discovered unconscious in his hot tub at home in Pacific Palisades.
The cause of death was ultimately determined to be ketamine overdose.
Plasencia confessed in his plea deal that he supplied Perry with ketamine on many occasions despite the fact that there was no genuine medical basis for doing so.
The agreement recognizes that this occurred in the weeks before Perry’s death. According to federal authorities, Plasencia sought to conceal his conduct by establishing a fictitious “treatment plan” for the actor, with the intention of justifying the prescriptions later.
The plea bargain calls for a jail sentence ranging from 15 to 21 months, but the final decision will be made by the court.
The case has sparked significant interest, not just because of Perry’s celebrity, but also because of the troubling contacts discovered throughout the inquiry.
Plasencia reportedly sent a message to another doctor saying, “I wonder how much this moron will pay…” Let us find out. According to investigators, that communication indicates Perry’s casual disregard for his own well-being.
Last June, federal charges were brought against Plasencia and four other people suspected of contributing to Perry’s death.
Among them is Jasveen Sangha, known by authorities as the “Ketamine Queen.” She faces accusations for possessing and distributing ketamine and methamphetamine from a stash home in North Hollywood. Sangha has pled not guilty and is set to face trial in August.
The three other co-defendants, Erik Fleming, Kenneth Iwamasa, and Dr. Mark Chavez, have already agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
