Main doctor charged in actor Matthew Perry overdose to plead guilty
Matthew Perry had spoken openly of his struggles with addiction, but his October 2023 death came as a huge shock to his legions of fans
The main doctor charged in connection with the drug overdose of American-Canadian actor and "Friends" star Matthew Perry is expected to enter a guilty plea in the coming weeks, the U.S. Justice Department said Monday.
Salvador Plasencia "has agreed to plead guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison," the department said in a statement.
The second doctor in the case, Mark Chavez, pleaded guilty last October to conspiring to distribute ketamine in the weeks before the actor was found dead in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home in 2023.
Perry's lengthy struggles with substance addiction were well-documented, but his death at age 54 sent shockwaves through the global legions of "Friends" fans.
A criminal investigation was launched soon after an autopsy discovered the actor had high levels of ketamine -- an anesthetic -- in his system.
Plasencia allegedly bought ketamine off Chavez and sold it to the desperate star at hugely inflated prices.
Jasveen Sangha, the alleged "Ketamine Queen" who supplied drugs to high-end clients and celebrities, is charged with selling Perry the dose that killed him.
She has pleaded not guilty.
Comedic television series "Friends," which followed the lives of six New Yorkers navigating adulthood, dating and careers, drew a massive global following and made megastars of previously unknown actors.
Perry's role as the sarcastic man-child Chandler brought him fabulous wealth, but hid a dark struggle with addiction to painkillers and alcohol.
In 2018, he suffered a drug-related burst colon and underwent multiple surgeries.
In his 2022 memoir "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing," Perry described going through detox dozens of times.
"I have mostly been sober since 2001," he wrote, "save for about sixty or seventy little mishaps."
© 2025 AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
SoraNews24
an hour ago
- SoraNews24
Legendary pie shop Anna Miller's is returning to Tokyo, bringing iconic waitress uniforms with it
Fans' hopes for an Anna Miller's comeback weren't pie-in-the-sky dreams after all. August 31, 2022 was a sad day for sweets fans in Japan. It was on that day that Anna Miller's, one of Japan's first pie specialty restaurants, closed its Takanawa branch, which was its last location in Japan. Anna Miller's started out in Hawaii, but in 1973 Japanese confectionary company Imuraya struck a deal to bring the chain to Japan. At its peak, Anna Miller's had 25 restaurants in the Tokyo area, with the Takanawa branch, located just outside of Tokyo's Shinagawa Station, becoming a local landmark. Alas, a Takanawa redevelopment project forced Anna Miller's and the other tenants out of the building. ▼ When news broke that the Takanawa Anna Miller's was closing, huge lines of fans going back for one last slice of pie stated forming (this photo was taken roughly 10 weeks before the shutdown). Since then, Anna Miller's has existed only as an online-sales bakery that very occasionally has very brief pop-up shop events. So great rejoicing met Imuraya's announcement on Friday that Tokyo will once again have a permanent Anna Miller's restaurant, and it'll be open before the year is over. For its comeback, Anna Miller's is returning to its Tokyo roots. The new branch will be located in Tokyo's Minami Aoyama, the same section of the city where the first in-Japan Anna Miller's opened in 1973. ▼ The original Minami Aoyama Anna Miller's ▼ An Anna Miller's pie The new branch will occupy the first and second floors of the Seizan II building, a one-minute walk away from Gaienmae Station on the Tokyo Metro's Ginza Line. In addition to a takeout counter for those ordering pie to-go, there will be approximately 30 seats for eat-in customers. Its pies and American-style entrees aren't the only things Anna Miller's is famous for, however. The restaurant's iconic jumper dress-esque uniforms hold an iconic status within Japanese pop culture, and it's likely for that reason that Imuraya makes a special mention of them within the reopening announcement, saying that the distinctive outfits will be returning as well, and sure enough, they can be seen in the preview images. The new Anna Miller's is slated to open in early December. Source: Imuraya via Sankei Shimbun Top image: PR Times Insert images: SoraNews24, PR Times (1, 2), Anna Miller's ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
The Mainichi
7 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Retired judo star Wolf announces move to professional wrestling
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo Olympic judo gold medalist Aaron Wolf announced Monday he is embarking on a new career in professional wrestling. The 29-year-old, who retired from judo earlier this month, has joined major grappling promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling. Wolf won men's 100-kilogram judo gold at his home Olympics in 2021 and finished seventh at the Paris Games three years later. He is scheduled to debut at a New Japan event at Tokyo Dome in January. Wolf, a longtime fan of professional wrestling, decided to make the switch after last summer's Olympics. "I had wanted to go into pro wrestling once I thought I could walk away from judo with no regrets," Wolf said at a press conference in Tokyo. "I am excited to challenge myself on a new stage." The Tokyo native, born to a Japanese mother and an American father, is already a popular media personality, making regular television appearances. With his move into the theatrical world of professional wrestling, he follows in the footsteps of countryman Naoya Ogawa, who won heavyweight judo silver at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics before becoming a pro wrestler. Japan's Hidehiko Yoshida, the 78-kg gold medalist in Barcelona, and Satoshi Ishii, the 2008 Beijing Games heavyweight champion, both went into mixed martial arts after retiring from judo.
Kyodo News
11 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Retired judo star Aaron Wolf announces move to professional wrestling
KYODO NEWS - 10 minutes ago - 16:51 | Sports, All Tokyo Olympic judo gold medalist Aaron Wolf announced Monday he is embarking on a new career in professional wrestling. The 29-year-old, who retired from judo earlier this month, has joined major grappling promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling. Wolf won men's 100-kilogram judo gold at his home Olympics in 2021 and finished seventh at the Paris Games three year later. The Tokyo native, born to a Japanese mother and American father, is already a popular media personality, making regular television appearances. With his move into the theatrical world of professional wrestling, he follows in the footsteps of countryman Naoya Ogawa, who won heavyweight judo silver at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics before becoming a pro wrestler. Related coverage: Judo: Kagawa wins 1st nat'l open-weight title, Abe loses in 2nd round FEATURE: Ukrainian kids practice sumo free from missile attack fears
