Doctor pleads guilty to death of Friends star Matthew Perry from an overdose: what he faces

One of the five suspects accused of the death of American actor Matthew Perry has pleaded guilty to the Friends star's overdose death. Mark Chavez, a 54-year-old doctor who ran a ketamine clinic, admitted that he was part of a conspiracy to distribute the celebrity's surgical anesthetic. The acute effects of the substance led to a fatal outcome.

According to the BBC, in a Los Angeles court, the man said that he sold ketamine lollipops, which are used to treat depression and PTSD, to Dr. Salvador Plascencia, who supplied them to the actor. He noted that he received the substance both in his former clinic and from a distributor using a fake prescription.

Prosecutors said that Matthew Perry's assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, worked with two doctors to provide the star with the anesthetic. A few weeks before the celebrity's death, a large amount of ketamine worth more than $50,000 was purchased. Police officials added that there was secret correspondence between the defendants in the case, where they discussed the profits they would make as a result of the planned fraud.

"I wonder how much this asshole will pay. Let's find out," the messages read.

Mark Chavez's sentence will be reduced for his cooperation with the investigation, but he still faces up to 10 years in prison. He handed over his passport and medical license to law enforcement.

As a reminder, on October 28, 2023, Matthew Perry passed away at his home in Los Angeles. The star's body was found in a jacuzzi. Since investigators did not notice any signs of violence, his death was initially ruled an "accident".

Subsequently, the autopsy results showed that the fatal incident was caused by the acute effects of ketamine. On the day of his death, Kenneth Iwamasu, the star's assistant, injected the anesthetic at the actor's request, administering 3 doses.

Further investigation revealed that five people, including an assistant, took advantage of the celebrity's drug addiction to enrich themselves. They were aware of Matthew Perry's struggle with substance abuse, but knowingly and voluntarily supplied and injected him with ketamine.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA reported that Matthew Perry's last words became known. The Friends star asked his assistant, who was arrested, to inject a larger dose of anesthetic.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!