On Monday, a California physician, Dr. Salvador Plasencia, concurred to confess his guilt in illegally provisioning ketamine to Matthew Perry, the beloved actor from the TV series "Friends," prior to Perry's tragic accidental overdose. As per the agreement, Plasencia will plead guilty to four counts pertaining to the distribution of ketamine. The terms outline a possible maximum incarceration of 40 years, a supervised release spanning three years, and a penalty not less than $2 million. Plasencia is anticipated to formalize his plea in court within the forthcoming weeks.
Last year, he was indicted on counts encompassing the distribution and conspiracy to distribute ketamine, alongside falsification of records. Notably absent from this agreement is one of Plasencia’s co-defendants, monikered the “Ketamine Queen” by federal prosecutors. Three other defendants entangled in this scheme, inclusive of Perry’s live-in personal assistant, have already admitted their guilt in conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
Perry, aged 54, had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy to alleviate depression and anxiety up until his demise on October 28, 2023. However, federal prosecutors revealed that he had sought and received unsupervised doses, leading to an unchecked dependency on the drug. Traditionally used as an anesthetic in surgical procedures and emergency settings, ketamine has recently gained traction as an experimental treatment for various mental health conditions.
When Perry was discovered deceased in his pool, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office revealed that the quantity of ketamine found in his system was equivalent to what is administered during general anesthesia. Prosecutors disclosed that Perry had shelled out $55,000 for six to eight ketamine injections daily over approximately a month, during which Plasencia and his accomplices sold him the drug.
An incriminating text message, included in the indictment, captured Plasencia and another physician who pleaded guilty in this conspiracy, Mark Chavez, deliberating on the appropriate fee to charge Perry. One message reads, "I wonder how much this moron will pay. Let's find out."
