Matthew Perry’s doctor to plead guilty to supplying ‘Friends’ actor with ketamine

17 June, 2025

Matthew Perry‘s doctor, Salvador Plasencia, has agreed to plead guilty to four counts of distributing ketamine to the Friends star, who died of an overdose in October 2023.

The actor was found unresponsive in a hot tub in his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023, with his death at the age of 54 being attributed to the acute effects of ketamine, with drowning and coronary artery disease listed as other factors.

Plasencia is one of five people charged with what prosecutors allege was an underground network of dealers and medical professionals who supplied Perry with ketamine.

In October last year, Dr Mark Chavez was charged in connection with the actor’s death and pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute ketamine. Two others – Perry’s assistant Kenneth Iwasama and friend Erik Fleming – have pleaded guilty to their involvement in the Friends star’s fatal overdose.

Prosecutors offered Iwasama, Fleming and Chavez lesser charges in exchange for their cooperation as they pursued others they believe to be more responsible for Perry’s death, namely Dr Salvador Plasencia and Jasveen Sangha – the so-called ‘Ketamine Queen’ – who allegedly supplied Perry with ketamine.

Sangha has pleaded not guilty and claims she never met Perry. Initially, Dr Plasencia also pleaded not guilty to illegally selling ketamine to Perry in the month before his death.

Now, though, he has acknowledged in a plea agreement that he repeatedly provided ketamine without a legitimate medical purpose in the weeks leading up to Perry’s death, per Variety.

The plea carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, though the sentence will be up to the judge.

According to documents filed for the plea agreement, Plasencia injected Perry with ketamine at his home and in the parking lot of the Long Beach Aquarium. Plasencia also allegedly taught Perry’s assistant, who is also a defendant, how to administer the drug and would sell extra vials for them to keep at home, per BBC News.

According to text messages shared with prosecutors, Plasencia allegedly wrote about Perry, “I wonder how much this moron will pay… Let’s find out.”

Authorities alleged that Plasencia attempted to cover his tracks during the investigation, concocting a bogus “treatment plan” for Perry in an attempt to show the ketamine was legitimately prescribed.

NME have reached out to Plasencia’s legal representative for comment.

Sangha is due to go on trial in August, after the trial, which was originally set for March, was postponed.

The beloved star’s passing brought a wave of emotion from fans and co-stars. In January, fellow Friends actor Lisa Kudrow revealed she found a note from Perry in 2004, hidden in a cookie jar, that she had not discovered until recently.

Other Friends castmates have also shared how the death has affected them, with Courtney Cox saying she still talks to Perry daily, and Jennifer Aniston being brought to tears after a question about his passing.

Elsewhere, Maggie Wheeler – who famously starred as Janice in the show – recently said she believes she was visited by his spirit.

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