A medical professional has been handed a sentence of eight months under home confinement for his involvement in the events leading to the fatal ketamine overdose of Friends actor Matthew Perry.
Guilty Plea and Sentencing
Mark Chavez, aged 55, pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. On Tuesday 16 December 2025, a judge sentenced him to eight months of home detention, followed by three years of supervised release. Addressing the court, Chavez referenced a recent personal loss, stating he understood the grief caused by Perry's death. "I just want to say my heart goes out to the Perry family," he added.
Court documents reveal Chavez, who previously operated a ketamine clinic, admitted to selling the controlled substance to another doctor, Salvador Plasencia. This occurred after Plasencia contacted Chavez upon learning that Perry, who had a well-documented history of addiction, was seeking ketamine.
The Supply Chain to a Hollywood Star
In September 2023, Plasencia was introduced to Matthew Perry by a patient who described the actor as a high-profile individual willing to pay substantial sums in cash. The very same day, Plasencia contacted Chavez, driving to Costa Mesa to purchase $795 (£590) worth of ketamine vials, tablets, syringes, and gloves.
Plasencia then went to Perry's Los Angeles home, injected the star with ketamine, and left further supplies with the actor's 60-year-old assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who paid the doctor $4,500 (£3,350). Between 30 September and 12 October 2023, Plasencia is said to have distributed 20 vials and multiple tablets, netting around $57,000 (£42,500) despite the standard price being roughly $15 (£11) per vial.
Text messages shown in court included Plasencia telling Chavez, "I wonder how much this moron will pay" and "Lets [sic] find out". Chavez also admitted to making false representations to a wholesale distributor to obtain more ketamine for Plasencia, submitting a bogus prescription in a former patient's name without her knowledge.
Wider Network and Legal Consequences
Salvador Plasencia, 44, was jailed for two-and-a-half years on 3 December after pleading guilty to four counts of ketamine distribution. He had already surrendered his California medical licence. Authorities confirmed he did not supply the specific dose that caused Perry's death in October 2023.
Perry's assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, admitted to repeatedly injecting the actor with ketamine despite having no medical training, including multiple times on the day he died. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death and awaits sentencing in January.
The investigation also ensnared others. Erik Fleming, 54, admitted supplying the ketamine that killed Perry, distributing 50 vials to Iwamasa. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy and distribution resulting in death. His source was alleged to be Jasveen Sangha, 42, a dual US-UK citizen nicknamed the "Ketamine Queen", who pleaded guilty to multiple drug charges. Both will be sentenced in early 2025.
Matthew Perry, who had been legally using ketamine for depression treatment, sought more of the drug and began using it unsupervised in his final weeks, obtaining it illegally from various sources. The beloved star of 10 seasons of Friends was found drowned in his hot tub after taking ketamine.
