Prosecutors say Matthew Perry's doctor sent a twisted eight-word message about the actor as his recent arrest comes to light.
The Friends star was found dead in his hot tub last October, with the cause of death being revealed as 'the acute effects of ketamine'.
Despite that, an investigation surrounding Perry's death commenced earlier this year, with the focus on how the drugs entered the actor's system in the first place.
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A breakthrough came this week after it was confirmed multiple people had been arrests in connection with Perry's death.
One of those people is Perry's doctor Dr Salvador Plasencia, who had the license to prescribe and administer drugs.
The doctor is accused of supplying and injecting ketamine for Perry, and even watched the actor 'freeze up and his blood pressure spike', according to US Attorney Martin Estrada.
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Plasencia apparently even sent an eight-word text message about Perry to a colleague when providing the star with ketamine, that read: "I wonder how much this moron will pay."
As well as Plasencia, alleged drug trafficker Jasveen Sangha, Dr Mark Chavez, Kenneth Iwamasa, and 'broker' Erik Fleming have all been named as defendants.
Chavez, Iwasama, and Fleming have pleaded guilty to charges so far.
Announcing the charges at a press conference on Thursday, Estrada revealed their investigation discovered a 'broad underground criminal network' that 'took advantage' of Perry by selling him ketamine.
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"This network included a live-in assistant, various go-betweens, two medical doctors and a major source of drug supply known as ‘The Ketamine Queen,'” the attorney said.
"These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry’s addiction issues to enrich themselves. 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. In the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr. Perry than caring for his well being."
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Plasencia reportedly told another patient in October 2023, just weeks before Perry died, that the actor 'was spiralling out of control with his addiction'.
"Nonetheless, [he] continued to offer ketamine to Mr. Perry," Estrada added in his notes to press on Thursday.
Perry had been undergoing treatment for anxiety and depression which involved ketamine infusion therapy, according to the Guardian.
During his life, the Friends star spoke openly about his addiction struggles, including in his 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers, and The Big Terrible Thing.
Topics: Matthew Perry, Drugs, News
Callum Jones