Los Angeles doctor suspected of connection to ketamine overdose death of series star Matthew Perry Friendspleaded guilty this Wednesday, October 2 in a California court. Mark Chavez, 54 years old, admitted to illegally helping provide ketamine to actorwho played Chandler in the cult series. This professional, who was banned from practicing medicine, thus avoids a trial and risks up to 10 years of imprisonment, according to the federal prosecutor’s office.
His sentencing will take place on April 2, 2025. Doctor Chavez is only one of five suspects involved in the actor’s death, according to American justice.
The death of Matthew Perry, found unconscious in his jacuzzi in October 2023shocked the fans of Friends and sparked a shower of tributes in Hollywood. The actor had spoken publicly about his addiction issues. He was taking ketamine supervised as part of therapy sessions for depression.
But this legal anesthetic is sometimes diverted for stimulating or euphoric purposes, and he fell back into addiction in the fall of 2023according to the federal prosecutor’s office. A relapse which pushed him into the clutches of “unscrupulous” doctors, according to the authorities.
“I wonder how much this idiot is going to pay.”
According to the investigation, another doctor, Salvador Placencia, had a much more important role to feed Matthew Perry’s addiction. It was he who organized the “exploitation” of the sick actor, according to Anne Milgram of the DEA, the federal anti-drug agency.
“I wonder how much this idiot is going to pay.”wrote Doctor Plasencia in September 2023, in an SMS unearthed by the investigation. After the actor’s death, he “falsified medical records” to try to legitimize his action, according to the prosecution. Salvador Plasencia is due to go on trial in March and has pleaded not guilty. He faces up to 120 years in prison.
The vials of ketamine cost the doctors involved around $12, but were sold for “$2,000” to the actor. The other accused at the center of the case is Jasveen Sangha, a drug dealer known in Hollywood as the “queen of ketamine”. This 41-year-old British-American sold the bottle of ketamine that killed the actor, and faces life imprisonment. She is also scheduled to go to trial in March and has pleaded not guilty.
The investigation revealed that one of his clients had already died of a ketamine overdosein 2019. Matthew Perry’s personal assistant and an intermediary are also being prosecuted.
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