Authorities have charged five individuals with causing the 2023 death of actor Matthew Perry. They announced the charges Thursday morning at a news conference in Los Angeles. They come after investigators uncovered an underground network of drug sellers and suppliers they allege are behind ketamine distribution.
Ketamine is a potentially deadly drug and is what killed the renowned “Friends” actor. The five people recently charged in connection to his death include two doctors, Matthew Perry’s live-in personal assistant, and a person the authorities call “The Ketamine Queen.”
They Took Advantage of Matthew Perry’s Addiction Issues
According to US Attorney Martin Estrada, the defendants are being charged because they “took advantage of Perry’s addiction issues.”
“Matthew Perry’s journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials,” DEA Administrator Anne Milgram also said in a press release.
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Three of the five charged have reached a plea agreement. The other two defendants, Dr. Salvador Plasencia and Jasveen Sangha, who, according to Estrada, managed what turned out to be “a drug-selling emporium” in her home, were indicted on Wednesday.
Some charges leveled against Plasencia include one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, seven counts of distribution of ketamine, and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to the federal investigation. However, Plasencia pleaded not guilty to all.
They held him on a $100,000 unsecured bond and surrendered his DEA license on an order from Magistrate Judge Alka Sagar. He will stand trial on October 8.
Sangha pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of maintaining drug-involved premises, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Also, Sangha pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine.
Pushback From the Accused
The judge revoked Sangha’s bond from another charge not shared during court and ordered her to remain in detention. Prosecutors are certain she is a “significant risk to flee,” and for good reason.
She has extensive international travel records and dual United States and British citizenship. She also appears to be funding herself via drug sales. Meanwhile, Plasencia’s attorney, Stefan Sacks, says there is no evidence to substantiate the allegations in the indictment.
“Mr. Perry was on ketamine treatment. Medically supervised, medically prescribed. And while the US attorney may disagree with Dr. Plasencia’s medical judgment, there was nothing criminal at the time. And more importantly, the ketamine that was involved in Mr. Perry’s passing was not related to Dr. Plasencia,” Sacks said.
Matthew Perry Spent a Lot on Ketamine Before His Death
According to Estrada, over two months from September to October 2023, the defendants supplied Matthew Perry with “approximately 20 vials of Ketamine.” It reportedly cost him roughly $55,000. Plasencia saw his addiction as an opportunity to profit off of the late actor.
Estrada said. “He wrote in a text message in September 2023, ‘I wonder how much this moron will pay?’ He also stated in text messages that he wished to be Perry’s “sole source of supply.” The late “Friends” alum has always been candid about his struggles with drug addiction.
In his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” he revealed that he began abusing prescription medication after his involvement in a jet ski accident on the set of the film “Fools Rush In” in 1997 and was prescribed Vicodin.
How Old Was Matthew Perry During Friends?
Born on August 19, 1969, Matthew Perry played the iconic character Chandler Bing on “Friends.” During the show’s 10-season run, his age ranged from 25 when it began to 35 years old when it ended.
Who Got Matthew Perry’s Money When He Died?
Matthew Perry reportedly had $1,596,914.47 in his personal bank account when he passed away at age 54 in October 2023. This is according to an inventory and appraisal document filed by Lisa Ferguson, one of the trustees of Perry’s estate.
The late actor secured the rest of his assets in a $1 million trust he created in 2009. It was called the Alvy Singer Living Trust after Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall” character, and Ferguson and Robin Ruzan were named the co-executors of the estate.
Perry listed his father, John Perry, and mother, Suzanne Morrison, as beneficiaries of his will, alongside his half-sibling, Caitlin Morrison, and ex-girlfriend Rachel Dunn.
Who Is Matthew Perry’s Ex?
Matthew Perry dated several women while he lived, but he never got married. He was once linked with Julia Roberts and Yasmine Bleeth in 1995, but they only had a brief romance. He was in a long-term relationship with Lizzy Caplan between 2006 and 2012 before he moved on to Rachel Dunn in 2013.
They dated for about a year, then split, but he still thought about her fondly enough to leave her something in his will. Other women he was romantically linked with include Talitha Bateman in 2016 and Molly Hurwitz, whom he dated between 2018 and 2020.
Who Was the Last Person Seen With Matthew Perry?
One of the last people to see Matthew Perry alive was a model named Athenna Crosby. The “Friends” star was pictured grabbing lunch with the woman whose identity was unknown until she was identified and had to come forward.
She revealed in a lengthy post that they shared a great bond and that the last time they met, the actor had been in high spirits.
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Crosby wrote, “He was so happy & vibrant. Please refrain from any speculation surrounding his death and know that the man was on a comeback and truly deserved more time on this earth. Our entertainment industry has truly lost a legend. RIP.”
The arrest and investigation of the doctors caring for Matthew Perry at the time of his death has once more reminded the world of his loss. We also now know that his death was completely preventable and may not have happened if not for greed and human callousness.
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