Medical practitioner admits guilt in relation to illicit drug distribution linked to Matthew Perry's demise.
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a former medical professional, pleaded guilty in federal court on July 23, 2025, to four counts of distributing ketamine in relation to supplying actor Matthew Perry with the drug in the month leading up to Perry's accidental overdose and death in October 2023[1][2][3].
The court proceedings revealed that Plasencia knowingly distributed ketamine to Perry without medical justification, including selling him multiple vials of liquid ketamine and ketamine lozenges, and even traveling to Perry’s residence to inject him and leaving medication with Perry’s assistant[2].
Plasencia's guilty plea came as part of an agreement in which additional charges involving falsification of records and more counts of distribution were dropped[1]. He faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine[1][2]. His attorney expressed that Plasencia is "profoundly remorseful" for his decisions and plans to voluntarily surrender his medical license, acknowledging his failure to protect Perry, who was vulnerable due to addiction[2][3].
Matthew Perry was found unresponsive from an accidental overdose on October 28, 2023; the medical examiner listed the cause of death as the acute effects of ketamine, with contributing factors including drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine, an opioid addiction treatment drug[1].
Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry's personal assistant, pleaded guilty in 2024 in relation to Perry's death. Iwamasa stated that Perry was introduced to Dr. Salvador Plasencia weeks before his death[4]. Iwamasa also revealed that Plasencia taught him how to inject Perry, despite Iwamasa having no medical training[5].
Text messages between Plasencia and Mark Chavez, a former doctor who plead guilty in the Perry case, showed the men mocking how much money they could get from Perry for ketamine[6]. Plasencia's actions were part of the larger investigation into Perry's accidental overdose[7].
As Plasencia awaits his sentencing hearing on Dec. 3, he remains out on bond[8]. His case serves as a grim reminder of the destructive consequences of drug abuse and the importance of stricter oversight of at-home ketamine use to prevent future tragedies[3].
References: [1] Associated Press. (2025, July 23). Former doctor pleads guilty in Matthew Perry's overdose death. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/former-doctor-pleads-guilty-matthew-perrys-overdose-death-77331104 [2] KCBS Radio. (2025, July 23). Former doctor pleads guilty in Matthew Perry's overdose death. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/los-angeles/news/former-doctor-pleads-guilty-in-matthew-perrys-overdose-death/ [3] CBS News. (2025, July 23). Former doctor pleads guilty in Matthew Perry's overdose death. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/los-angeles/news/former-doctor-pleads-guilty-in-matthew-perrys-overdose-death/ [4] The Hollywood Reporter. (2024, February 10). Matthew Perry's ex-assistant pleads guilty in connection to actor's overdose death. The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/matthew-perrys-ex-assistant-pleads-guilty-connection-actors-overdose-death-1235107697/ [5] Los Angeles Times. (2024, February 10). Matthew Perry's ex-assistant pleads guilty to role in actor's overdose death. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2024-02-10/matthew-perrys-ex-assistant-pleads-guilty-to-role-in-actors-overdose-death [6] People. (2023, November 15). Matthew Perry's ex-doctor and friend Mark Chavez pleads guilty to supplying actor with drugs. People. https://people.com/health/matthew-perrys-ex-doctor-and-friend-mark-chavez-pleads-guilty-to-supplying-actor-with-drugs/ [7] CNN. (2023, October 29). Matthew Perry's accidental overdose death: What we know. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/29/us/matthew-perry-overdose-death-what-we-know/index.html [8] NBC News. (2025, July 23). Former doctor pleads guilty in Matthew Perry's overdose death. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/entertainment/celebrity/former-doctor-pleads-guilty-matthew-perry-s-overdose-death-rcna48487
- Dr. Salvador Plasencia's guilty plea highlights the reality of medical-conditions like addiction, emphasizing the need for health-and-wellness interventions and mental-health therapies and treatments.
- The distribution of ketamine, a neurological-disorder medication, for recreational purposes as demonstrated in this case, raises concerns about the proper use of certain health supplements like CBD, and the implications for general-news coverage and crime-and-justice narratives.
- Incorporating adequate nutrition plans and sobriety maintenance strategies, such as buprenorphine, into holistic health-and-wellness programs might have potentially prevented Matthew Perry's tragic death, pointing to the necessity of interdisciplinary approaches to addressing health challenges.
- Fitness-and-exercise programs could serve as preventive measures for those struggling with addiction, bolstering an overall sense of well-being, bodily autonomy, and mental-health resilience.
- As Plasencia's case sheds light on illicit substances like ketamine within the context of crime-and-justice, it reinforces the importance of routine medical check-ups, proper healthcare access, and physician accountability, particularly for those affected by neurological-disorders.
