SAN DIEGO — Five people, including a doctor from San Diego, are facing charges in connection with actor Matthew Perry's death.
Perry, best known for his role on the hit show "Friends," died last October. An autopsy revealed he had the drug Ketamine in his system.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said that this investigation into Matthew Perry's death uncovered a broad, underground criminal network responsible for distributing large amounts of ketamine to the actor: a network that included San Diego doctor Mark Chavez.
"In the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being," Estrada said.
According to court documents, La Jolla doctor Mark Chavez, who had previously run a ketamine clinic, admitted to selling ketamine to Santa Monica-based Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who then injected the 'Friends' star with the anesthetic. on multiple occasions.
Chavez confessed to getting the drug from his former clinic by submitting a bogus prescription, using the name of an unwitting former patient.
"Dr. Plasencia and Dr. Chavez violated the oath they took to care for their patients," said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. "Instead of do no harm, they did harm so that they could make more money."
The two allegedly charged Perry approximately $2000 for a vial of ketamine that cost Dr. Chavez only twelve dollars.
In one message exchange, they wrote "I wonder how much this moron will pay?" and "Let's find out".
Who is La Jolla Dr. Mark Chavez?
Dr. Chavez, who has already agreed to plead guilty to one felony charge of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, graduated from UCLA Medical School in 2004.
According to the Medical Board of California, he has an active medical license with no reported disciplinary action and is certified in emergency medicine.
According to online records, Chavez - who calls himself "The Health MD," is also an author of 'The Five Habits of Healthy People' as well as an entrepreneur who created a device called 'the Gravity Ball."
Along with Drs. Chavez and Placensia, prosecutors have also charged Jasveen Sangha, also known as 'the Ketamine Queen,' who allegedly sold Perry the fatal dose; Perry's live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, who allegedly injected Perry with the ketamine and Eric Hawthorne, who authorities say was the drug broker.
"These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry's addiction issues to enrich themselves," Estrada added, "They knew what they were doing was wrong. They knew what they were doing was risking great danger to Mr. Perry, but they did it anyways."
Dr. Chavez is scheduled to formally enter his guilty plea in federal court on August 30.
While he faces up to ten years behind bars, the main defendants in this case face up to life in prison for their alleged roles.