ISTANBUL

A doctor in the US pleaded guilty to illegally providing ketamine to American actor Matthew Perry ahead of his fatal overdose in 2023, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Doctor Salvador Plasencia entered the plea before Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett at a federal court in Los Angeles as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Al-Jazeera reported.

He had initially pleaded not guilty but reached an agreement ahead of his trial in August.

Under the agreement, Plasencia pleaded guilty to four counts of illegal ketamine distribution, while prosecutors agreed to drop three other distribution charges and two counts of falsifying records.

Following the hearing, Plasencia’s attorney, Debra White, issued a statement expressing his remorse and confirming that he would no longer continue his medical practice.

“Dr. Plasencia is profoundly remorseful for the treatment decisions he made while providing ketamine to Matthew Perry,” White said.

Matthew Perry, widely recognized for his portrayal of Chandler Bing on the television series Friends, passed away on Oct. 28, 2023. He was found in a hot tub at his residence in Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades neighborhood.

An autopsy report published in December cited the “acute effects” of ketamine as the primary cause of Perry’s death while also noting contributing factors.

Perry was legally prescribed ketamine for depression but faced dosage limits and reportedly sought the drug from unauthorized sources.

While prosecutors confirmed Plasencia did not provide the fatal dose, he admitted in court to supplying Perry with ketamine in the month before his death, including 20 vials totaling 100 milligrams.

In a separate case, another doctor, Mark Chavez, claimed Plasencia recruited him to provide ketamine for Perry, reportedly texting: “I wonder how much this moron will pay.” Prosecutors said that the transaction generated $4,500.

Plasencia is the fourth person to plead guilty in connection with Perry’s death.