Doctor pleads guilty in Matthew Perry overdose death
A doctor charged in connection with the drug-related death of actor Matthew Perry has entered a guilty plea in the case.
Dr. Mark Chavez changed his plea to guilty in a Los Angeles court to a charge of conspiring to distribute the surgical anesthetic ketamine.
At 54 years old, Chavez operated a ketamine clinic and sold ketamine lozenges to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who then supplied them to Perry, known for his role in the NBC sitcom Friends.
Chavez is one of five individuals charged in relation to Perry’s death, with the actor being found deceased in his backyard jacuzzi in Southern California in October 2023.
A post-mortem examination revealed a high concentration of ketamine in his bloodstream and concluded that the “acute effects” of the drug were responsible for his death.
Ketamine is commonly used to treat depression, anxiety, and pain.
In his plea agreement, Chavez acknowledged that he procured ketamine from both his former clinic and a wholesale distributor using a fraudulent prescription.
Prosecutors indicated that Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, collaborated with the two doctors to provide the actor with over $50,000 (£38,000) worth of ketamine in the weeks leading up to his death.
According to the indictment, the two medical doctors exchanged texts discussing how much they could charge Perry for vials of the drug, with one message reading: “I wonder how much this moron will pay.”
The plea allows Chavez to plead guilty to a lesser charge for his co-operation in the investigation, though he could still face up to 10 years in prison.
“He has accepted responsibility. He is co-operating,” his attorney told the court.
Chavez has turned over his passport and agreed to surrender his medical licence immediately.
He is free on bail until sentencing on 2 April 2025.
