California-based physician Dr. Salvador Plasencia has agreed to plead guilty to illegally distributing ketamine to actor Matthew Perry before his fatal overdose in October 2023. As part of the plea agreement, Plasencia will admit guilt to four counts of distributing the powerful anesthetic without proper oversight. The plea deal comes nearly a year after Perry, known for his role as Chandler Bing on Friends, was found dead at his Los Angeles home.
Plasencia Faces Severe Penalties as Multiple Defendants Tied to Ketamine Scheme
According to the agreement, Plasencia could face up to 40 years in federal prison, in addition to three years of supervised release and a fine of at least $2 million. The court is expected to formally enter his plea in the coming weeks. These charges stem from a broader indictment last year that accused him of distributing and conspiring to distribute ketamine, along with falsifying medical records to conceal the activity.
Doctor Agrees to Plead Guilty in Matthew Perry Ketamine Case Facing Up to 40 YearsPlasencia is not the only person implicated in the case. One co-defendant, described by prosecutors as the “Ketamine Queen,” was not part of the plea deal and may face trial. Three others, including Perry’s live-in personal assistant, have already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine. The group allegedly supplied Perry with frequent, unsupervised doses of the drug over a one-month period.
Exploitation and Overdose as Perry Received Excessive Ketamine Doses Without Proper Oversight
Matthew Perry had been receiving ketamine infusion therapy to treat depression and anxiety under medical supervision. However, federal investigators claim he was also obtaining ketamine outside of proper therapeutic protocols. When Perry was discovered dead in his pool on October 28, 2023, a coroner’s report revealed that the level of ketamine in his body was consistent with what is used during general anesthesia — suggesting a dangerous and potentially lethal level of the drug.
Prosecutors allege that Perry paid around $55,000 for up to eight ketamine injections per day in the final month of his life. Disturbingly, a text message exchange between Plasencia and another doctor involved in the scheme, Dr. Mark Chavez, showed them discussing how much they could charge the actor. One of the texts read: “I wonder how much this moron will pay. Let’s find out,” highlighting the apparent exploitation behind the illegal drug distribution that contributed to Perry’s untimely death.