Medical professional admits to providing ketamine to Matthew Perry, labeling him as 'foolish'
In a courtroom in Los Angeles on July 23, 2025, Dr. Salvador Plasencia admitted his guilt to four counts of distributing ketamine to the late actor Matthew Perry. This plea came as part of a deal that saw prosecutors drop three other counts of distribution and two counts of falsifying records.
According to prosecutors and co-defendants, Dr. Plasencia illegally supplied Perry with a large amount of ketamine, including 20 vials, lozenges, and syringes, starting about a month before Perry's death on Oct. 28, 2023. The medical examiner ruled that ketamine was the primary cause of Perry's death.
Dr. Plasencia's involvement in the case began when Perry, who was using ketamine in a legal but off-label treatment for depression, approached him for more of the drug than his doctor would provide. After selling the drugs to Perry for $4,500, Dr. Plasencia asked another doctor, Dr. Mark Chavez, if he could continue supplying them to become Perry's "go-to."
Dr. Chavez agreed to help, and together they supplied Perry with a total of 100 mg of ketamine. However, it was not Dr. Plasencia who provided the fatal dose. Perry froze up and his blood pressure spiked when Dr. Plasencia gave him one injection, but Plasencia still left more ketamine for Perry's assistant to inject.
Dr. Plasencia spoke only to answer the judge's questions during his plea. In a text to Dr. Chavez, he called Perry a "moron" who could be exploited for money. Dr. Chavez has also agreed to plead guilty in the case.
Jasveen Sangha, known as the "Ketamine Queen," is the only remaining defendant who has not reached an agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office. Search results do not contain any information about charges or involvement connected to Matthew Perry's death or related legal cases regarding Jasveen Sangha.
Dr. Plasencia remains free on bond and is scheduled for sentencing on December 3, where he may face up to 10 years in federal prison per count. He is also expected to surrender his medical license within 30 to 45 days.
[1] Source: Los Angeles Times, July 24, 2025 [2] Source: Associated Press, July 24, 2025 [3] Source: CNN, July 24, 2025
- The health-and-wellness industry became a topic of general-news coverage when Dr. Salvador Plasencia pleaded guilty to unlawfully distributing ketamine to actor Matthew Perry, who died due to the drug's primary influence.
- In a surprising turn of events, entertainment news outlets were flooded with reports about the illegal supply of ketamine to celebrities, such as Matthew Perry, by doctors like Dr. Plasencia and Dr. Mark Chavez.
- Despite the sensational hijacking of the health-and-wellness industry by unscrupulous individuals like Dr. Plasencia, entertainment-focused websites seem to concentrate more on celebrities' crimes and relationships, overlooking stories like this one.
