'Took Advantage Of His Addiction To Enrich Themselves': Two Doctors Among 5 Charged Over Matthew Perry's Death

Authorities said Plasencia obtained ketamine from Dr. Mark Chavez, 54. In text messages to Chavez, Plasencia discussed how much to charge Perry for the drug, stating, "I wonder how much this moron will pay."

An investigation found that the defendants distributed roughly 20 vials of ketamine to Perry for $55,000 in cash between September and October 2023.

Chavez admitted to selling ketamine to Plasencia and has agreed to plead guilty to one charge, according to court documents.

The fifth person charged was Eric Fleming, 54, who admitted to obtaining ketamine from Sangha and to distributing 50 vials to Iwamasa. He has pleaded guilty to two criminal counts.

Perry died at age 54 from "acute effects" of ketamine and other factors that caused him to lose consciousness and drown in his hot tub, a December 2023 autopsy report said.

Toxicology tests found Perry's body contained ketamine at dangerously high levels typically found in general anesthesia patients being monitored by professionals during surgery, the report said.

Other contributing factors were drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of the opioid-addiction medicine buprenorphine.

Perry had publicly acknowledged decades of drug and alcohol abuse, including during the years he starred as Chandler Bing on the hit 1990s television sitcom "Friends."

Witness interviews in the autopsy report said he had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety. But his last known treatment was a week and a half before his death, so the ketamine found in his system by medical examiners would have been introduced since that infusion, the autopsy said.

At sentencing, Iwamasa faces up to 15 years in federal prison and Fleming faces up to 25 years. Chavez could be sentenced to up to 10 years.

If convicted on all charges, Sangha would face between 10 years to life in federal prison. Plasencia would face up to 10 years for each ketamine-related count and up to 20 years for each records falsification count.

(Disclaimer: Except for the headline, this copy has not been edited by Jagran English Team)