Verdict: After death of Matthew Perry: doctor sentenced to house arrest

The 55-year-old doctor pleaded guilty in 2024 to having procured the anesthetic ketamine for Perry. According to the indictment, the doctor from San Diego is said to have sold a colleague in Los Angeles a large amount of ketamine for the actor using, among other things, a forged prescription. The 44-year-old doctor from Los Angeles was sentenced to two and a half years in prison at the beginning of December.

Serious allegations against doctors and dealers

The San Diego doctor avoided a prison sentence. He cooperated with authorities and willingly surrendered his medical license, wrote the Los Angeles Times.

After Perry’s death, police and prosecutors made serious allegations against five people arrested. In addition to the two doctors, the others have now also admitted their guilt, including an assistant to the actor and a drug supplier. In these cases, the sentence is expected in 2026.

Perry’s tragic death

Perry was found dead in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023 at the age of 54. The actor became famous worldwide with the TV series “Friends,” about six young friends in New York, which was produced in the USA between 1994 and 2004. His death caused shock and sadness around the world.

The actor had previously spoken publicly about his struggle with addiction. He had reportedly undergone ketamine therapy under medical supervision for depression and anxiety. He is also said to have obtained the drug on the black market.

According to the coroner’s office, Perry died from the effects of ketamine. Added to this were, among other things, drowning, heart disease and the effects of a drug used to treat opioid addictions. The death was ruled an accident.