Dr. Salvador Plasencia, the physician who gave late actor Matthew Perry doses of ketamine before his tragic death, has pleaded guilty to playing a role in the actor’s death.
The 43-year-old doctor appeared in federal court on July 23, 2025, where he agreed to a plea deal that would limit his prison sentence to up to 10 years. Had he not taken the deal, he faced a potential 40 years behind bars.
Perry, best known for his role in Friends, passed away on October 28, 2023, after overdosing and drowning in his hot tub. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner determined that the cause of death was the acute effects of ketamine. Despite ongoing ketamine infusion therapy for his depression, Perry’s death was linked to cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression caused by high levels of the drug in his system.
Dr. Plasencia admitted to supplying Perry with 20 vials of ketamine and enlisting fellow doctors to provide the drugs. In his plea, he also acknowledged selling the drugs to Perry for $4,500. This comes after multiple other individuals were indicted, including Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who reportedly injected Perry multiple times on the day of his death.
The investigation into the case continues, with other individuals facing charges related to the illegal distribution of ketamine.
