Five counts related to the death of Matthew Perry.
U.S. authorities have been investigating the death of U.S. actor Matthew Perry for nearly ten months. They are looking into how the "Friends" star obtained the ketamine that ultimately caused his death. Now, they seem to be making significant progress, according to reports.
Following the drug-related death of "Friends" star Matthew Perry, the Los Angeles District Attorney has charged five individuals. The investigation has uncovered "a vast criminal underground network responsible for distributing large quantities of ketamine to Mr. Perry and others," said District Attorney Martin Estrada at a press conference.
This network included an assistant of Perry's, middlemen, two doctors, and a key drug source known as the "Ketamine Queen," Estrada added. "The defendants exploited Mr. Perry's addiction to enrich themselves. They knew what they were doing was wrong. They knew they were putting Mr. Perry in great danger - but they did it anyway."
Previously, U.S. media had reported that people were arrested in connection with Perry's death. This breakthrough comes more than seven months after Perry's death. Police had been focusing on how the 54-year-old obtained the anesthetic ketamine, which was found in unusually high amounts in his blood at the time of his death.
Perry Dies from Ketamine Overdose
Perry was found in a hot tub at his home in Los Angeles last October. The actor had previously spoken publicly about his struggles with addiction, including alcohol and drugs, and wrote about it in his memoir "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing" published last year.
An investigation by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office in December found 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.
Ketamine is used by doctors as an anesthetic and to treat depression. It is also traded on the black market for its sedating and hallucinogenic effects.
According to media reports, Perry had undergone ketamine therapy for depression and anxiety. However, the last session before his death was over a week and a half ago, so the ketamine in his body at the time of death could not have come from this infusion therapy, according to the medical examiner's office.
In the 1990s, Perry became famous for his role as sarcastic wit Chandler Bing in the globally popular TV series "Friends." In his memoir published last year, Perry wrote that he had struggled with substance and alcohol addiction for years. He spent over nine million dollars on a total of 65 stays in rehab facilities.
The Hollywood authorities are reportedly interested in the role of the "Ketamine Queen" in the distribution of the substance to Matthew Perry. The investigations into Perry's death have led to charges against five individuals, including an assistant of Perry's, who are believed to have exploited his addiction to enrich themselves.
