A doctor involved in the drug-related death of actor Matthew Perry has pleaded guilty in the case. Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, changed his plea to guilty in a Los Angeles court for conspiring to distribute the surgical anaesthetic ketamine.

Chavez operated a ketamine clinic and sold ketamine lozenges to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who ultimately supplied them to Perry, the star of NBC's sitcom Friends. In his plea agreement, Chavez admitted to obtaining ketamine from both his former clinic and a wholesale distributor using a fraudulent prescription, as per court records.

He is one of five individuals charged in connection with Perry's death, which occurred in October 2023 when the 54-year-old actor was found dead in his backyard jacuzzi in Southern California. A post-mortem examination revealed a high concentration of ketamine in Perry's blood, concluding that "acute effects" of the drug were responsible for his death.

Ketamine is an anaesthetic that is often used to treat depression, anxiety, and pain, and it is known to be 50 times more potent than heroin. Prosecutors allege that Perry's assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, collaborated with the two doctors to provide the actor with over $50,000 (£38,000) worth of ketamine in the weeks leading up to his death.

According to the indictment, the two doctors exchanged text messages discussing how much they could charge Perry for vials of the drug, with one message stating: "I wonder how much this moron will pay."

Chavez’s plea allows him to plead guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for his cooperation with the investigation, although he could still face up to 10 years in prison. "He has accepted responsibility. He is cooperating," his attorney stated in court.

Chavez has surrendered his passport and agreed to relinquish his medical license immediately. He is currently out on bail, with sentencing scheduled for April 2, 2025.