Matthew Perry's death: Doctors charged for ketamine scam

Dr. Salvador Plasencia texted, "I wonder how much this moron will pay" and "Let’s [sic] find out," to Dr. Chavez.


Pop Culture & Art August 16, 2024
Courtesy: AFP

Two doctors arrested and charged in connection with Matthew Perry's death allegedly exchanged texts discussing how to scam the late "Friends" star into paying more for ketamine.

Dr. Salvador Plasencia, an urgent care physician in Calabasas, California, texted Dr. Mark Chavez about acquiring ketamine to sell to “victim M.P.,” whom law enforcement confirmed to be Perry, according to the New York Times.

Prosecutors allege that Plasencia and Chavez discussed how much to charge Perry for the drug, with Plasencia writing, “I wonder how much this moron will pay” and “Let’s [sic] find out.”

Chavez, 54, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and admitted to selling the drug to Plasencia, 42. Chavez also obtained ketamine by making false claims to a wholesale distributor and submitting a fraudulent prescription under a former patient’s name, officials revealed during a press conference on Thursday.

The group supplied Perry with 20 vials of ketamine in exchange for $55,000 in cash, according to US Attorney Martin Estrada.

“These defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr. Perry than caring about his wellbeing,” Estrada added.

Authorities also arrested Perry's personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, along with "Ketamine Queen" Jasveen Sangha and an acquaintance, Erik Fleming.

According to the NYT, Chavez, Iwamasa, and Fleming have already pleaded guilty in the federal case.

Fleming pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. The NYT reported that Fleming admitted to obtaining ketamine from Sangha and providing 50 vials to Iwamasa in the days before Perry's death.

Iwamasa also confessed to injecting the "17 Again" star with ketamine on the day he passed away.

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