Doctor to plead guilty to supplying ketamine to ‘Friends’ star Matthew Perry

A California doctor facing charges in connection with the overdose death of beloved "Friends" actor Matthew Perry has agreed to plead guilty. Dr. Salvador Plasencia is set to admit guilt to four counts of illegal distribution of ketamine, the drug determined to be a primary factor in Perry's passing.

Dr. Plasencia, who reportedly ran an urgent care facility in Malibu, is now looking at a potential prison sentence of up to 40 years, according to statements from prosecutors involved in the case. He is expected to formally enter his plea in the coming weeks.

In documents related to his plea agreement, Plasencia admitted to administering ketamine injections to Perry on multiple occasions at the actor's residence and even in a Santa Monica parking lot leading up to his death. These administrations, he confessed, were done in exchange for thousands of dollars and were not performed for legitimate medical purposes. He also obtained the ketamine from another physician, Mark Chavez, who has since pleaded guilty along with two other defendants in the wider investigation.

Authorities previously revealed a concerning text message from Plasencia to Chavez regarding Perry, questioning how much the actor would pay. While Plasencia and three others have entered guilty pleas, a fifth defendant, identified as Jasveen Sangha and described by law enforcement as a "ketamine queen" dealer, has pleaded not guilty. She is currently scheduled for trial in August and is alleged to have supplied the specific dose that proved fatal to Perry.

Matthew Perry tragically died in October 2023 at the age of 54. An autopsy later concluded his death was due to the acute effects of ketamine and other contributing factors that caused him to lose consciousness and drown in his hot tub. Perry had been open about his decades-long struggles with substance abuse, a battle he publicly shared.