Doctor Pleads Guilty in Matthew Perry Ketamine Case

Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a California physician, has agreed to plead guilty to four counts of distributing ketamine in connection with the October 2023 overdose death of actor Matthew Perry. Plasencia faces up to 40 years in federal prison and a $2 million fine after admitting to supplying Perry with ketamine vials and lozenges, as well as injecting him without legitimate medical justification. Perry, 54, died from the acute effects of ketamine, with drowning and other health issues as contributing factors. Plasencia is one of five individuals charged in the case, with other defendants, including another doctor and Perry's assistant, having pleaded guilty or agreed to cooperate. Prosecutors allege that the doctors exploited Perry’s addiction by providing him with dangerous amounts of ketamine for profit. The case has drawn attention to issues of celebrity addiction, medical ethics, and illegal drug distribution.