- This individual unlawfully provided Matthew Perry with ketamine.
U.S. Court Revokes License for Doctor Involved in Matthew Perry's Death Case
The doctor, Mark Chavez, admitted his involvement in the death of the "Friends" star as part of a plea deal. On Friday, the court decided to revoke his license to practice medicine due to this admission. Chavez, along with four other defendants, is accused of illegally providing Perry with ketamine.
Chavez pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute ketamine and was released on a $50,000 bond. Two other defendants, Salvador Plasencia and Jasveen Sangha, also agreed to plead guilty, while denying other charges in other cases. The trials for Plasencia and Sangha are scheduled for October.
The U.S. Attorney's Office accuses the five defendants of exploiting Perry's addiction issues for personal gain. The investigation, according to U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada, exposed a large and secret network responsible for supplying ketamine to Perry and others.
Perry's Demise in Hot Tub
Perry was discovered dead in a hot tub at his Los Angeles residence in late October 2021. The December autopsy report revealed that he died due to "acute ketamine effects." Ketamine, used by medical professionals as an anesthetic and for treating depression, is also commonly traded on the black market because of its sedative and hallucinogenic properties.
Although Perry had taken ketamine under medical supervision for his depression therapy, there was no such supervision in the days preceding his demise.
During the 1990s, Perry gained fame for portraying the sarcastic joker Chandler Bing on the globally acclaimed TV series "Friends." In his 2021 autobiography, Perry revealed his long-standing battles with drug and alcohol addiction, which led him to spend over $9 million on 65 stints in rehabilitation centers.
The United States Attorney's Office is accusing Chavez and four other defendants of exploiting Matthew Perry's addiction issues, which led to his death in the United States of America. Despite taking ketamine under medical supervision for his depression therapy, Perry's demise in October 2021 occurred without such supervision.
The court's decision to revoke Chavez's license to practice medicine in the United States of America is a consequence of his involvement in providing Perry with illegal ketamine.
