Doctor Pleads Guilty in Matthew Perry Ketamine Case as Shocking New Details Emerge

The doctor who gave Matthew Perry ketamine before his death has now pleaded guilty. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Dr. Salvador Plasencia admitted in a Los Angeles court that he illegally gave the drug to Perry in the weeks before the actor died in 2023. He’s the fourth person to be convicted in the ongoing investigation.

Plasencia confessed to giving Perry 20 vials of ketamine, syringes, and lozenges between September 30 and October 12 of that year. He wasn’t officially treating Perry when the actor died, but prosecutors say he knew the ketamine wasn’t being used for any real medical reason. His plea deal confirms that.

Plasencia will give up his medical license within about a month. His lawyer, Karen Goldstein, said in a statement, “Dr. Plasencia is profoundly remorseful for the treatment decisions he made… He is fully accepting responsibility.”

Plasencia will be sentenced in December and could face up to 10 years in prison for each charge.

The “Friends” star was 54 years old when he was found unresponsive in his hot tub at home on October 28, 2023. An autopsy confirmed he died from the effects of ketamine.

The case also involves several others. Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, admitted that he gave Perry the final dose of ketamine on the day he died. In court, Iwamasa said that Perry asked him for the drug and gave him money to help find it. He’ll be sentenced in November.

One of Plasencia’s patients introduced him to Perry in late September 2023, calling him a “high profile person” who wanted ketamine and was willing to pay in cash.

Plasencia then reached out to another doctor, Mark Chavez, who had experience running a ketamine clinic. Plasencia bought vials and lozenges from Chavez and gave them to Perry or his assistant.

Text messages between Plasencia and Chavez show how they discussed money. In one exchange, Plasencia joked, “I wonder how much this moron will pay” and “Let’s find out.”

Plasencia gave Perry ketamine at his house several times, sometimes leaving vials with Iwamasa. One visit even happened in a parking lot near an aquarium, which led Chavez to text Plasencia that he shouldn’t be “dosing people in cars, and in a public place where children are present.”

During a visit on October 12, Perry had a bad reaction—his blood pressure spiked and he froze up. Even after that, Plasencia left more ketamine with the assistant, knowing it would be used.

The day before Perry died, Plasencia messaged Iwamasa saying, “I have been stocking up… I left supplies with a nurse of mine.” He was going out of town. The ketamine that killed Perry didn’t come from Plasencia, though.

Instead, prosecutors say Eric Fleming was the one who supplied the final dose. He admitted in court that he gave Perry 50 vials of ketamine, including the one that led to the overdose.

Fleming got the drugs from Jasveen Sangha, who’s known as “The Ketamine Queen.” She’s accused of working with Fleming and Iwamasa to get drugs to Perry. She has pleaded not guilty and will go to trial in August.

With more guilty pleas and the trial for Sangha still ahead, the case continues to uncover just how Perry got the drugs that led to his death.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!