Matthew Perry’s death: the doctor who illegally supplied ketamine to the actor was convicted – new verdicts are expected in the case
4 December 2025 19:52
American doctor Salvador Plascencia has been sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for illegally selling ketamine to actor Matthew Perry, star of the TV series Friends. This is the first verdict in a wider investigation into the possible contribution to the actor’s addiction, who died in October 2023.
The trial is reported by CNN, "Komersant Ukrainian".
What the court decided
Judge Sherilyn Pease Garnett emphasized that Plascencia was not the seller of the particular dose of ketamine that was fatal. However, his actions, according to the court, “fueled the actor’s addiction” at a critical time in his life.
The doctor pleaded guilty and admitted that he had used Perry’s condition for his own benefit. In one of his messages to another doctor, he even called the actor “an idiot who can be used to make money.”
How Plascencia got involved in the case
Perry was officially prescribed ketamine as a treatment for depression. But when his primary care physician refused to continue high doses, the actor turned to Plasencia. He began illegally selling ketamine, injecting Perry at home and in a parking lot, and teaching the actor’s assistant Kenneth Iwamasa how to inject.
Prosecutors said that Plascencia not only provided access to the drug, but also created a scheme that allowed Perry to receive ketamine without medical supervision.
What is known about the other defendants
The doctor was the first of five defendants to be convicted.
The case also involves
- another doctor,
- perry’s assistant,
- jaswyn Sangha, a well-known ketamine supplier in California circles (“the Queen of Ketamine”),
- and other intermediaries.
All of them pleaded guilty. Sentences are expected in the coming months.
What happened to Matthew Perry
on October 29, 2023, the actor was found dead in a hot tub in his home in Los Angeles. Forensic experts called the cause of death “acute effects of ketamine”, which led to a physiological reaction incompatible with life.
Perry’s death caused a significant public outcry, as the actor spoke openly about his longstanding struggle with addiction and tried to help others through charitable programs.
The investigation showed how easily even famous people in the United States can become victims of unscrupulous doctors and shady schemes with psychotropic drugs.
