A third defendant has pleaded guilty in the case involving the death of Matthew Perry, a prominent actor known for his role in Friends.
Perry was declared deceased after being discovered unresponsive at his residence in Los Angeles on October 28 of the previous year.
The cause of death was identified as a ketamine overdose by the medical examiners.
Dr. Mark Chavez, a 54-year-old physician from San Diego, appeared in a Los Angeles district court today (October 2) and confessed to one federal charge of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
Chavez had entered a plea agreement with prosecutors in August, accepting reduced charges in return for his cooperation.
In his plea statement, Chavez admitted to acquiring ketamine from his former clinic and a wholesale distributor and then issuing a false prescription.
Chavez’s attorney, Matt Binninger, stated in August that his client is ‘doing everything in his power to cooperate, to help in this situation.’ He emphasized that Chavez is ‘incredibly remorseful,’ with his regret largely focusing on the fact that ‘someone who was trying to seek treatment died’ rather than Perry’s fame.
A total of five individuals have been charged in this case, including primary suspects Dr. Salvador Plasencia and drug dealer Jasveen Sangha, also known as ‘The Ketamine Queen’.
Both Plasencia and Sangha assert their innocence and are scheduled for trial in March.
The US Attorney’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reported that in a 2023 communication to Chavez, Plasencia mocked Perry by saying: “I wonder how much this moron will pay.”
Plasencia and Chavez met to exchange four vials of ketamine, which were later sold to Perry for $4,500.
Plasencia then inquired if Chavez could regularly supply them in order to make Perry their ‘go-to’.
Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s live-in assistant, and Erik Fleming, identified as a ‘broker’, have also accepted guilty pleas in the case. Iwamasa admitted to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, while Fleming pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine and distribution of ketamine resulting in death.
Perry was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy at the time of his death; however, his last documented infusion was reported to have been a week and a half before he passed, based on his autopsy.
Authorities have assessed that Iwamasa utilized Perry’s funds to pay Plasencia $55,000 for ketamine between September 20, 2023, and October 28, 2023, the date of Perry’s death.
On the day Perry died in October 2023, it emerged that Iwamasa administered three ketamine shots within six hours.
Forty minutes following the second dose, Perry requested another ketamine shot from Iwamasa. After administering it, Iwamasa reportedly left the home for errands.
Upon returning, he discovered Perry face down in the hot tub, where the actor was soon pronounced dead.