One of the doctors accused in the ketamine-related death of actor Matthew Perry has agreed to plead guilty, according to federal court documents.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 43, of Santa Monica, California, has been charged with four counts of distributing ketamine.
Prosecutors said the doctor supplied ketamine to Perry through the actor’s assistant just weeks before his death in October 2023. The Friends star, best known for his role as Chandler Bing, was found dead in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home on October 28. The autopsy revealed Perry died due to the “acute effects” of ketamine, followed by drowning.
Dr. Plasencia filed his plea agreement on June 16, 2025. He becomes the fourth person to plead guilty in this high-profile case. According to the plea deal, Plasencia sold “twenty 5ml vials of ketamine, less than a full package of ketamine lozenges, and syringes” to Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s assistant, between September 30 and October 12, 2023.
He faces up to 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California expects Plasencia to formally enter his plea in court in the coming weeks. He was originally scheduled to go on trial this August.
This case has highlighted a troubling chain of events involving several people in Perry’s circle. Dr. Mark Chavez, who admitted to selling ketamine to Plasencia, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to conspiracy to distribute the drug. He’s scheduled for sentencing this September.
Kenneth Iwamasa, the assistant who delivered the drugs to Perry, pleaded guilty last August to conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death. His sentencing is expected in November.
The DEA confirmed last year that both Chavez and Plasencia had given up their right to prescribe or recommend any medical treatment. In a statement, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada criticized the doctors’ actions, saying, “These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being.”
He added that Perry’s tragic death started with “unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust” and ended with street-level drug dealing.
Matthew Perry had been vocal about his struggles with addiction throughout his life. His death at age 54 shocked fans and reignited conversations about prescription drug abuse, even among those with access to professional care.
With the latest guilty plea, the investigation into the Friends actor’s death is moving closer to resolution. However, it also casts a harsh light on the role trusted professionals played in supplying the drugs that ultimately ended his life.
Jamie Wells has a knack for getting the inside scoop on Hollywood’s biggest stars and up-and-coming talent. With a sharp eye for industry trends and an ear for viral moments, Jamie covers everything from red-carpet events to behind-the-scenes drama in movies, TV, and celebrity culture.
