Medical Professional Admitted to Providing Ketamine to Actor Matthew Perry, Known for Role in 'Friends'
In a shocking turn of events, Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a California-based medical professional, has pleaded guilty in the US District Court in Los Angeles for his involvement in the death of Matthew Perry, the beloved actor best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the iconic 1990s NBC sitcom *Friends*.
Perry, who was found unresponsive in a hot tub in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles County, California on October 28, 2023, died at the age of 54. The exact cause of his death remains undisclosed, but the circumstances of his being found unresponsive were reported.
During the court proceedings, Dr. Plasencia admitted to supplying Perry with ketamine, a short-acting anaesthetic with hallucinogenic properties. Ketamine is sometimes prescribed to treat depression and anxiety, but it is also abused by recreational users.
It was revealed that Dr. Plasencia obtained ketamine from Dr. Mark Chavez of San Diego. Dr. Chavez, along with two other co-defendants, have already pleaded guilty in the case.
Jasveen Sangha, who is infamously known as the "ketamine queen," has been charged with supplying the dose that killed Perry. She is scheduled to go on trial in August, pleading not guilty to the charges against her.
Dr. Plasencia acknowledged that he injected Perry with ketamine at his home and in the back seat of a parked car. His actions with the ketamine injections were not for legitimate medical purposes.
Despite his guilty plea, none of the co-defendants have been sentenced yet. Dr. Plasencia will remain free on bond until his sentencing on Dec 3, where he faces up to 40 years in prison.
In a statement, Dr. Plasencia's attorneys expressed their client's profound remorse for his actions regarding Perry's death. They also expressed hope that the case serves as a warning to other medical professionals and leads to stricter oversight and clear protocols for the at-home ketamine industry.
Perry, who battled addiction to prescription drugs and alcohol throughout his life, had a history of substance abuse, including during his years on *Friends*. Born on August 19, 1969, in Massachusetts, he also had Canadian roots and spent part of his childhood in Ottawa, Ontario.
[1] "Matthew Perry Biography." IMDb, IMDb.com, Inc., www.imdb.com/name/nm0000536/bio. [2] "Matthew Perry." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 15 Mar. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Perry. [3] "Matthew Perry's Addiction Battles." People, Time Inc., 28 Oct. 2023, people.com/tv/matthew-perry-addiction-battles/. [4] "Matthew Perry: The Untold Truth of His Struggle with Addiction." The List, 28 Oct. 2023, thelist.com/142903/matthew-perry-addiction/.
- After Dr. Salvador Plasencia's guilty plea in the US District Court regarding Matthew Perry's death, his attorneys expressed hope that the case would lead to stricter oversight and clear protocols for the at-home ketamine industry, as Malaysia's health-and-wellness sector continues to emphasize mental-health care, the importance of substance abuse treatments, and effective therapies-and-treatments for patients.
- As the Ketamine Queen, Jasveen Sangha faces trial in August, accused of supplying the ketamine that led to Matthew Perry's demise, health-and-wellness advocates in Malaysia and beyond discuss the necessity of sanctioning medical professionals who abuse their positions, and the urgency of supporting science-backed treatments, ensuring mental-health services, and fostering a culture that values patient safety in health-and-wellness industries worldwide.
