On 3 December 2025, a federal judge in Los Angeles sentenced Dr Salvador Plasencia to 30 months in prison for his part in supplying ketamine to the Friends actor Matthew Perry in the weeks before his death. According to ABC7, Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett also ordered two years of supervised release and a $5,600 fine, and Plasencia was taken into custody straight away.
Perry died on 28 October 2023, aged 54, after being found unresponsive in the hot tub at his Los Angeles home. The autopsy found that he died from the acute effects of ketamine, as ABC7 reported. Plasencia was the first of five people who pleaded guilty in connection with the case to be sentenced.
The case drew attention because of who Perry was, but its wider lesson is about trust. A doctor is supposed to be the person who says no when no is the safe answer. When that check disappears, the person in difficulty is left with fewer protections, not more. The case is a reminder that recovery depends on care built around boundaries and oversight, whether that comes through a family GP, a local NHS drug service or accountable care such as luxury inpatient rehab services in Malibu.
What the Court Heard About Dr Plasencia
According to the Associated Press, as published by WIBW, Perry had been taking ketamine legally as a treatment for depression. When his regular doctor would not provide the amounts he wanted, he turned to Plasencia.
ABC7 reported that, under his plea agreement, Plasencia distributed 20 vials of ketamine, ketamine lozenges and syringes to Perry and to Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, between 30 September and 12 October 2023. He administered the drug to Perry at the actor’s home on several occasions and once in a car park in Long Beach, and was paid $12,000 for one visit. On 12 October 2023, Perry’s blood pressure spiked during a visit, yet Plasencia still left more vials with the assistant.
Court filings described text messages between Plasencia and another doctor about what to charge. One read: “I wonder how much this moron will pay.” Assistant US Attorney Ian Yanniello told the court Plasencia was “a drug dealer in a white coat”, according to the AP.
There is an important detail in the record. Plasencia pleaded guilty to four counts of distributing ketamine, not to causing Perry’s death, and his plea agreement states that the ketamine that killed Perry was not supplied by him. Even so, the AP reported that the judge said he and others helped set Perry on the path to his death by feeding his addiction, and told Plasencia he had exploited that addiction “for your own profit.” In court, Plasencia said: “I should have protected him.”
The other four defendants
ABC7 set out how the remaining defendants had pleaded as of Plasencia’s sentencing:
Dr Mark Chavez, described as Plasencia’s mentor and a former ketamine clinic operator, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Kenneth Iwamasa pleaded guilty in August 2024 to conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death. Erik Fleming pleaded guilty in August 2024 to conspiracy and to distribution resulting in death. Jasveen Sangha pleaded guilty in September 2025 to charges including distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury. Both doctors gave up their medical licences after their convictions.
What Enabling Looked Like in This Case
“Enabling” is a word often used about families who cover for a loved one or hand over money that ends up funding drug use. The Plasencia case shows it can also come from the people meant to be keeping someone safe.
Going by what the court heard, three things stand out. First, the judge rejected the defence argument that Perry was simply Plasencia’s patient, saying he “literally was offering to sell ketamine”, according to the AP. Second, supply carried on after a clear physical warning sign, the blood pressure spike on 12 October. Third, the doctor’s own messages suggested that money, rather than the patient’s welfare, was shaping decisions.
None of this required anyone to hide what was going on from Perry himself. The harm came from a professional giving a person in the grip of addiction exactly what he asked for, when the job of a doctor is to weigh what a patient needs.
What Ethical Prescribing Safeguards Look Like
In the UK, the General Medical Council (GMC) sets out what it expects of doctors in its guidance Good practice in proposing, prescribing, providing and managing medicines and devices. Reading the Plasencia case against that guidance makes the gaps easier to see. Several of the GMC’s principles are directly relevant:
- Know the patient’s history: The GMC says doctors should check that the information they have is sufficient and reliable, including whether they can access the patient’s records.
- Extra care with medicines open to misuse: The guidance says that without access to relevant records, doctors should not prescribe controlled drugs or medicines liable to abuse, overuse or misuse, apart from limited exceptions to prevent serious harm.
- Consider other sources: Doctors are told to consider whether a patient may be obtaining medicines from elsewhere, and whether that could put them at risk of death or serious harm.
- Keep the GP informed: The GMC expects doctors to tell the patient’s GP about changes to their medicines, with the reasons, so that care is joined up.
- Monitor and review: According to the guidance, doctors must make sure suitable arrangements are in place for monitoring, follow-up and review.
- No prescribing for convenience: The GMC says doctors should not prescribe for their own convenience where there is no clinical justification, and should avoid prescribing for themselves or people close to them.
These principles are not complicated. They exist so that one professional cannot quietly become the only source of a risky medicine with no one else watching. When a clinician works outside them, refuses to involve other doctors, or supplies drugs in unusual places and for cash, it is a sign that care has turned into something else.
Where People in the UK Can Turn
The NHS describes addiction as not having control over doing, taking or using something to the point that it could harm you, and states plainly that “addiction is a treatable condition.” Its advice is that a GP is a good first contact, and that people can also go directly to a local drug service. FRANK can help find support nearby on 0300 123 6600.
According to the NHS, treatment usually begins with an assessment and an agreed plan, with a keyworker who supports the person throughout. It can include talking therapies, detox, self-help groups and, where needed, inpatient or residential care. For families, the NHS says getting help for yourself puts you in a better position to support a loved one, and points to organisations such as Adfam and Families Anonymous.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Did Dr Plasencia supply the ketamine that caused Matthew Perry’s death?
No. ABC7 reported that his plea agreement states the ketamine that killed Perry was not supplied by him, and he did not plead guilty to causing the death. He admitted four counts of distributing ketamine to the actor in the weeks beforehand.
Why did the judge give a longer sentence than the probation report suggested?
According to the AP, a probation report suggested 8 to 14 months, but the judge imposed 30 months. She said Plasencia had exploited Perry’s addiction for profit and helped set him on the path to his death, even though he did not supply the fatal dose.
What should I do if I am worried about how a loved one’s medication is being prescribed?
The NHS suggests speaking to a GP, who can discuss treatment options and point families to local support. Under GMC guidance, doctors are expected to keep a patient’s GP informed about changes to their medicines, so the GP is often the right person to raise concerns with.
