- Doctors and dealers charged after Matthew Perry's drug death
The sudden death of "Friends" star Matthew Perry at the age of 54 last October sent shockwaves through Hollywood and around the world. Now, five individuals, including doctors, dealers, and Perry's assistant, are being held accountable. The Los Angeles Police Department and District Attorney's Office have leveled serious charges against those arrested. The investigation has uncovered "a vast criminal underground network responsible for distributing large quantities of Ketamine to Perry and others," said District Attorney Martin Estrada at a press conference. For months, investigators have been trying to determine how the actor obtained the anesthetic Ketamine, which was found in unusually high amounts in his system at the time of his death.
Charges: "Ketamine Queen" Exploited Perry's Addiction Issues
Estrada further stated that Perry's assistant, various middlemen, two doctors, and a major drug source known as the "Ketamine Queen" were part of this network. "The defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry's addiction issues to enrich themselves. They knew what they were doing was wrong. They knew they were putting Mr. Perry in grave danger - but they did it anyway." They were playing Russian roulette with his life. The charges are severe and could result in long prison sentences for the defendants.**
A greedy doctor sold Perry approximately 25 vials of Ketamine for $55,000 in cash over the months of September and October, Estrada detailed. "I wonder how much this idiot will pay," the doctor wrote in a text message to a middleman. The "Ketamine Queen," a 41-year-old drug supplier, sold Perry around 50 doses of Ketamine in the weeks leading up to his death. Upon learning of Perry's death, she instructed her middlemen to delete all text messages regarding the deals.
Perry's Assistant Pleads Guilty
Perry's assistant has already admitted to obtaining Ketamine for the actor, the District Attorney's Office announced. Without medical knowledge, he administered the drug, including multiple times on October 28, the day Perry was found dead. The 59-year-old assistant faces up to 15 years in prison.**
Overdose of Ketamine
Perry was found dead in his Los Angeles home last October with a large amount of the anesthetic Ketamine in his system. Prior to his death, the actor had publicly discussed his struggles with addiction to alcohol and drugs, and wrote about it in his autobiography "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing" published last year. An autopsy by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office in December determined that Perry died from the effects of Ketamine. Contributing factors included drowning, a heart condition, and the effects of a medication used to treat opioid addiction.**
Reports suggest that Perry had undergone Ketamine therapy for depression and anxiety. However, the last session before his death was over a week and a half earlier, so the Ketamine in his system at the time of death could not have come from this infusion therapy, according to the medical examiner's office.
Ketamine is a tried-and-true anesthetic that has been used for decades. Some partygoers also use it as an illegal club drug. Additionally, under certain conditions, people with treatment-resistant depression can be treated with ketamine. The substance is administered either subcutaneously, intravenously, or as a nasal spray (then as esketamine). An advantage is that the effect is quick. The administration has about the effect that patients are temporarily disconnected from their environment. Possible side effects of ketamine include increased blood pressure and a higher heart rate.
Perry as "Friends" Star
As Chandler Bing in the cult series "Friends," Perry became world-famous. The iconic TV series about six young friends in New York was produced in the US from 1994 to 2004. Perry, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, and David Schwimmer played the main roles. For the special "Friends: The Reunion," all six main actors came together again in 2021. Perry's death caused worldwide shock and sorrow, with his "Friends" co-stars describing it as an "unfathomable loss."
The "Ketamine Queen" and Perry's assistant were among the friends who were part of the criminal network that supplied the actor with large amounts of Ketamine. Despite knowing the danger, they exploited Perry's addiction issues to enrich themselves, showing a lack of concern for his well-being.
