A doctor linked to the drug-related death of actor Matthew Perry has pleaded guilty in a Los Angeles court. Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, admitted to conspiring to distribute the surgical anaesthetic ketamine.
Chavez, who operated a ketamine clinic, sold ketamine lozenges to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who supplied them to Perry, the star of NBC’s sitcom Friends. In his plea agreement, Chavez acknowledged that he obtained ketamine from both his former clinic and a wholesale distributor using a fraudulent prescription, according to court records.
He is among five individuals charged in connection with Perry’s death, which occurred in October 2023 when the 54-year-old actor was found dead in his backyard jacuzzi in Southern California. A post-mortem examination determined that a high concentration of ketamine in Perry’s blood led to his death due to “acute effects” of the drug.
Ketamine, an anaesthetic used for treating depression, anxiety, and pain, is known to be 50 times more potent than heroin. Prosecutors allege that Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, collaborated with the doctors to provide the actor with over $50,000 (£38,000) worth of ketamine in the weeks prior to his death.
According to the indictment, the two doctors exchanged text messages discussing the pricing of the drug for Perry, with one message saying: “I wonder how much this moron will pay.”
As part of the plea agreement, Chavez may plead guilty to a lesser charge for his cooperation in the investigation but still faces a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison. “He has accepted responsibility. He is cooperating,” his attorney stated in court.
Chavez has surrendered his passport and agreed to give up his medical license immediately. He is currently free on bail, with sentencing set for April 2, 2025.
