A former doctor has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for selling the drug ketamine to the late actor Matthew Perry .
Perry died in his Los Angeles home in October 2023. An autopsy found his death was due to a ketamine overdose.
Five people were charged over Perry’s death.
Salvador Plasencia, who has surrendered his medical license, is the first to be sentenced.
Background
Perry was best known for playing Chandler Bing in the TV series ‘Friends’.
In his memoir ‘Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing’, Perry spoke openly about his drug addiction, and detailed his use of medical ketamine to treat depression and anxiety.
Perry died on 28 October 2023 after he was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his home.
An autopsy found Perry had as much ketamine in his body as an anaesthetist would use to put someone under for surgery.
Investigation
A group of five people were charged in August 2024 in relation to Perry’s death.
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The group includes Placensia, another doctor, a friend, Perry’s live-in assistant, and an alleged drug dealer, Jasveen Sangha (aka “Ketamine Queen”).
Prosecutors alleged they deliberately fuelled Perry’s addiction and supplied him with ketamine, leading to his death.
All five members of the group pleaded guilty to drug charges.
Prosecutors found Plasencia administered ketamine to Perry “multiple times” at the actor’s home, as well as in a carpark in the backseat of Perry’s car.
They argued that “rather than do what was best for Mr. Perry... [Plasencia] sought to exploit Perry’s medical vulnerability for profit.”
Court documents show that in a text exchange, Plasencia said “I wonder how much this moron will pay” for the drugs.
Plasencia gave 20 vials and multiple tablets of ketamine to Perry and his assistant from 30 September to 12 October 2023, “knowing... [they] were not for a legitimate medical purpose.”
However, prosecutors said: “Plasencia did not provide the ketamine that caused [Perry’s] death.”
Plasencia faces two-and-a-half years in prison, and will pay a $US5,600 ($AU8,485) fine. In September 2025, he surrendered his medical license.
The other group members will be sentenced later this year and early next year.
