Doctor pleads guilty in Matthew Perry overdose case

Mark Chavez, a doctor implicated in the drug-related death of "Friends" star Matthew Perry, has pleaded guilty in court.

The 54-year-old doctor admitted to conspiring to distribute ketamine, a surgical anesthetic, during a hearing in Los Angeles. Chavez operated a ketamine clinic and provided ketamine lozenges to Dr Salvador Plasencia, who then supplied the drugs to Perry.

Chavez is one of five people facing charges linked to the death of the actor, who was found unresponsive in his backyard jacuzzi in southern California in October 2023. A post-mortem report revealed a lethal level of ketamine in Perry's system, identifying the "acute effects" of the drug as the cause of death.

Ketamine, while typically used for treating depression, anxiety, and pain, played a fatal role in Perry's case. According to court documents, Chavez admitted to acquiring the drug from both his former clinic and a wholesale distributor using a fraudulent prescription.

The case has also implicated Perry's assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who prosecutors allege collaborated with the two doctors to supply over US $50,000 worth of ketamine to the actor in the weeks leading up to his death. Text messages between the doctors reportedly discussed how much they could charge Perry, with one stating, "I wonder how much this moron will pay."

Chavez's plea agreement allows him to face a lesser charge in exchange for his cooperation with authorities, though he still risks a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. "He has accepted responsibility. He is cooperating," his attorney confirmed in court.

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As part of the agreement, Chavez has surrendered his passport and agreed to relinquish his medical licence. He remains out on bail until sentencing, scheduled for 2 April 2025.