Matthew Perry’s assistant and two doctors charged in death

Criminal charges have been filed against five individuals in connection with the death of “Friends” star Matthew Perry nearly a year ago, according to law enforcement officials on Thursday. Among the defendants are two doctors and an assistant to Perry, who were part of “a broad underground criminal network” distributing large quantities of the prescription drug ketamine to Perry and others, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada stated.

“These defendants exploited Mr. Perry’s addiction issues for their own gain,” Estrada said during a news conference in Los Angeles.

Perry, who was 54, died from the “acute effects” of ketamine combined with other factors that led him to lose consciousness and drown in his hot tub last October, according to an autopsy. For months, Los Angeles homicide detectives and federal agents have been investigating how Perry came to have the prescription drug.

The December 2023 autopsy report determined that Perry’s death was due to the “acute effects of ketamine,” which, along with other contributing factors, caused him to lose consciousness and slip below the water in his hot tub. Toxicology tests revealed dangerously high levels of ketamine in his system—levels typically seen in patients under general anesthesia during surgery and monitored by professionals.

Additional factors contributing to his death included drowning, coronary artery disease, and the presence of the opioid-addiction medication buprenorphine. Perry had openly discussed his long history of drug and alcohol abuse, including during his time as Chandler Bing on the popular 1990s sitcom “Friends.” Interviews referenced in his autopsy report indicated that he had been sober for 19 months with no known relapses before his death.

Witnesses reported that Perry had been receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety, but his last known treatment was a week and a half prior to his death. This suggests that the ketamine found in his system was introduced after his final infusion.