Five individuals were detained on Thursday in California in connection with the death of US actor Matthew Perry.
Perry, 54, was found lifeless in a hot tub in his Los Angeles home on 28 October last. An autopsy report recorded his death as an accident.
However, the Los Angeles police and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) stated in May that they were investigating the circumstances surrounding Perry’s death. These investigations focused primarily on ascertaining his drug supplier.
For years, Perry had been consuming Ketamine under supervision. This is a substance occasionally misused as a stimulant or for euphoric effects. He had also battled an addiction to painkillers and alcohol.
According to US judicial authorities, Perry relapsed into his addiction last year and the individuals now being detained are accused of exploiting his vulnerability. When hospital doctors refused to increase his Ketamine dosage, Perry sought help from unscrupulous doctors looking to make a quick profit, according to DEA’s Anne Milgram.
Doctors Salvador Plasencia (42) and Mark Chavez (54) are accused of supplying Perry with large amounts of Ketamine, allegedly charging up to $2,000 for a vial costing them $12.
As his Ketamine addiction grew, he wanted more, quicker and cheaper, Milgram said. This eventually led him to buy from street dealers, who supplied the Ketamine that led to his death, Miligram added.
The two doctors reportedly collaborated with Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa (59), selling him 20 vials for a total of $55,000 in September and October 2023.
