Matthew Perry died on October 28, 2023, at the age of 54. He is most famous for his role as Chandler Bing on the popular sitcom Friends back in the 90s. Following his passing, there were discussions surrounding the circumstances of his death. He was found unconscious in his hot tub, and an autopsy performed later revealed he died of the acute effects of ketamine. It is a strong anesthetic used in limited medical therapy settings.
The mystery deepened after investigations turned in reports that he had been undergoing medically supervised ketamine treatments to manage episodes of depression and anxiety. While the investigation is unfolding, what happened in Matthew Perry's final days is hitting home to his fans, who are feeling the gamut of emotions from grief to anger.
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The level of ketamine found in his system at the time of death was, however, very high compared to what may be engendered by his prescribed treatment, raising questions about how the drug was obtained and administered.
Who were Matthew Perry's doctors?
Two doctors are facing charges over the deadly ketamine overdose that led to Matthew Perry's death in October 2023. It is alleged that the two doctors, Dr. Salvador Plasencia and Dr. Mark Chavez, prescribed huge quantities of the drug ketamine to Perry despite full knowledge of his agonizing history of addiction.
The indictment charged Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a licensed physician from Santa Monica, with multiple counts of conspiracy to sell ketamine and falsification of records. According to the indictment, Dr. Salvador Plasencia allegedly used code language to discuss these drug transactions with Iwamasa. He spoke casually about the ketamine, referring to it as "Dr. Pepper," so that it becomes even more difficult to track what they are talking about.
In light of this, the coding language was part of a larger scheme for the illegal selling of this drug by playing on Perry's state of addiction. On the actual day of the death, Iwamasa first injected an initial dose of ketamine at about 8:30 a.m. with several injections throughout the day and finally a lethal dosage almost right before Perry was found unconscious.
He also faces a ten-year prison sentence for each charge related to ketamine distribution if found guilty, and a twenty-year jail term for distorting evidence.
A San Diego area doctor, Dr. Mark Chavez, is expected to plead guilty to conspiracy charges for distributing ketamine. The prosecutors claim that Chavez received the ketamine, obtained with fraudulent prescriptions, and supplied it to Plasencia, who then resold it to Iwamasa.
With Chavez potentially facing up to 10 years in prison, the charges against Plasencia and Chavez brings out a suspicious pattern of physicians who abuse their authority for the unlawful distribution of controlled substances, which leaves a patient despondent with addiction and finally leads to their death.
Perry had a long history of addiction and made several trips to rehab in the years leading up to his eventual death. Most notably, he was first in rehab in 2011 and then again in 2017, openly discussing these struggles in various interviews and his memoir. The case places a demand for increased supervision and accountability amongst members of the medical fraternity with the prescription or administration of drugs that may have dangers if misused.
Latest developments on Matthew Perry’s death through ketamine overdose
Updated news into the investigation surrounding Matthew Perry's death shows there's serious legal fallout for several people involved in his care. Five people, including Perry's live-in personal assistant and two doctors were charged on August 16, 2024, in connection with his fatal overdose of ketamine.
Robert Garrova of NPR reported that U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada stated the defendants exploited Perry's addiction for their financial gain, fully aware of the illegality of their actions. They face charges of conspiracy to sell ketamine, among other accusations.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia has counts of distribution of the drug ketamine and falsification of records against him. Kenneth Iwamasa, Matthew Perry's assistant, has already pleaded guilty to the alleged delivery of the drug and is facing up to 15 years in prison.
An investigation into abuse has quickly revealed a much larger drug distribution scheme than authorities previously thought. Investigators found that some defendants used coded language to obscure illegal activities. Additionally, documents on how to discuss the misconduct were found on some of the defendants.
The DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration), working in coordination with the Los Angeles Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, uncovered an even larger scheme for drug distribution. DEA Administrator Anne Milgram spoke at a news conference on August 15, 2024, from LA.
Milgram said:
"Matthew Perry's journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials."
Charges against the accused reflect rising concerns over monitoring and accountability in prescriptions of controlled substances, which has led to an increase in the misuse of drugs such as ketamine for illegal purposes.
Stay tuned to Soap Central for the latest news and updates on Matthew Perry's death investigation.
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