In a significant development related to the tragic drug-related death of actor Matthew Perry, Dr. Mark Chavez has pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute the powerful anesthetic ketamine.
The 54-year-old physician entered his guilty plea in a Los Angeles court, admitting to his involvement in a scheme that allowed the illegal distribution of the substance linked to the beloved “Friends” star’s untimely demise.
Chavez, who operated a ketamine clinic, sold ketamine lozenges to his colleague, Dr. Salvador Plasencia, responsible for supplying the drug to Perry. In court records, Chavez acknowledged acquiring the ketamine through a fraudulent prescription, obtaining it from both his former clinic and a wholesale distributor.
Perry, known for his iconic role as Chandler Bing on NBC’s hit sitcom, was found dead in his backyard jacuzzi in Southern California on October 28, 2023.
His death has prompted a closer examination of the use of ketamine in Hollywood, a potent anesthetic increasingly associated with unregulated distribution and misuse.
Chavez is one of five individuals charged in this case, underscoring a troubling trend within the entertainment industry regarding the handling of mental health treatments and their potential dangers.
