Matthew Perry’s family has spoken out after five people were charged in connection with the Friends star’s death.
The world of Hollywood was left heartbroken after the beloved actor - who played Chandler Bing in the hit sitcom - was found unresponsive in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home on October 28 and later pronounced dead.
He was just 54 years old.
Initial reports suggested that he had drowned, however, a toxicology report revealed that he died from acute effects of ketamine. Other contributing factors in his death included drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine, used to treat opioid use disorder.
At the time, his manner of death was ruled to be accidental.
Back in May, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) launched an investigation into how Perry came to have so much ketamine after it was discovered that he had 3.54 micrograms per milliliter of the substance - which is nearly three times the average amount - in his bloodstream at the time of his death, per The New York Post.
Three months later, the department announced that they had arrested five people in connection with the 17 Again star's death.
Doctor Salvador Plascencia was apprehended along with another doctor, Mark Chavez, Perry’s longtime and live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, alleged street dealer Erik Fleming, and Jasveen Sangha, the so-called “Ketamine Queen of Los Angeles".
They were accused of bilking thousands of dollars from the late star for vials of ketamine. It is also claimed that they "took advantage" of his substance abuse issues and "knew what they were doing was wrong," per Metro.
"These defendants took advantage of Mr Perry's addiction issues to enrich themselves," US Attorney Martin Estrada said. "They knew what they were doing was risking great danger to Mr Perry, but they did it anyway."
Amid their investigation, authorities said they unearthed a "broad underground criminal network responsible for distributing large quantities of ketamine to Mr Perry and others," as reported by ABC.
Prosecutors allege that Dr. Plascencia - who had a license to prescribe and distribute the strong tranquilizer - wanted to cash in on Perry's addiction, and texted the actor's assistant Iwamasa: “I wonder how much this moron will pay” for ketamine, according to The New York Post.
Court documents show that, in one terrifying incident, Perry “froze up” and his blood pressure skyrocketed after he was administered a “large dose” of ketamine by the doctor.
Shocked by the actor's bodily response, Plascencia reportedly text Iwamasa saying: “Let’s not do that again," - but left the actor and his assistant with more doses of the substance.
The actor's assistant then administered at least 27 shots of ketamine to his employer during the final five days of his life, court docs claim.
Prosecutors allege that three of those shots resulted in his “death and serious bodily injury," per the outlet. Furthermore, law enforcement believes that the late star's final, fatal dose of ketamine was supplied by Sangha via Fleming.
Following the arrests Perry's 77-year-old stepfather Morrison, who married the actor's mom, Suzanne Perry in 1981, released a statement along with other family members about the breakthrough investigation.
"We were and still are heartbroken by Matthew’s death, but it has helped to know law enforcement has taken his case very seriously," they said, per Hollywood Reporter.
"We look forward to justice taking its course and we’re grateful for the exceptional work of the multiple agencies whose agents investigated Matthew’s death. We’re hoping unscrupulous suppliers of dangerous drugs will get the message," the family concluded.
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