Lawyer explains 'disturbing' texts between doctors charged with Matthew Perry's death
A lawyer leading the investigation into the death of actor Matthew Perry has spoken out on 'disturbing' texts sent by two doctors charged in relation to his passing.
Perry, best known for his role as Chandler Bing in Friends, was found deceased in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home in October 2023. The 54-year-old's cause of death was later confirmed to have been caused by 'the acute effects of ketamine' and drowning.
It was later revealed that Perry had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy to treat depression and anxiety; however, the drugs consumed before his death were not related to his treatment.
Following Perry's passing, an investigation was opened into his death, with five people being arrested and charged in connection with the actor's death.
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This included doctors Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez, who've both now pleaded guilty to supplying the 17 Again actor with ketamine.
Following the guilty plea, texts sent between the pair discussing Perry and the sale of the drug to him have resurfaced online.
The messages, which were first revealed in a press conference by lawyer Martin Estrada, saw Plasencia and Chavez discussing selling the drugs to Perry and how much to charge him.
"I wonder how much this moron will pay," Plasencia allegedly wrote in one message to Chavez, adding: "Lets [sic] find out."
Estrada has now spoken out about the messages in ITV documentary Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy, saying it was 'very clear' to him that the pair were treating it as a moneymaking opportunity.
"Dr. Pacentia was very clear in text messages and other messages in saying that he saw this as an opportunity to make a lot of money in a short amount of time," Estrada says.
"He allegedly did just that. The indictment contains evidence that he sold in a month 20 vials of ketamine to Mr. Perry in exchange for $55,000 .”
He added: "They even talked about the fact that this wasn’t the right way to administer ketamine yet this was a golden opportunity to make money. At one point, Dr. Plasencia writes to Dr. Chavez, 'I wonder how much this moron will pay.'"
Chavez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute ketamine in October last year and faces up to 10 years behind bars. Meanwhile, Plasencia entered a guilty plea on four counts of distributing ketamine and could be jailed for a maximum of 40 years.
Elsewhere, Perry's live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, pleaded guilty to charges of sourcing ketamine for the actor, and Erik Fleming entered a guilty plea for one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death.
Meanwhile, the fifth person charged, 'Ketamine Queen' Jasveen Sangha, will stand trial in September. She faces five counts of ketamine distribution, including one count of distribution resulting in death.
Topics: Celebrity, Drugs, Matthew Perry, Health
Brenna Cooper