Five charges

Five charges after drug death of Matthew Perry

On Thursday, police arrested several people in connection with the death of Matthew Perry. It has now been confirmed that five people have been charged.

(Bild: Rich Fury/Invision/AP)

Following the drug-related death of Matthew Perry, the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office has charged five people. The investigation had uncovered "a widespread underground criminal network responsible for distributing large quantities of ketamine to Mr. Perry and others," said District Attorney Martin Estrada. 

That network included a Perry assistant, various intermediaries, two doctors and a major drug source known as the "Ketamine Queen," Estrada told the press conference.

"The defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry's addiction problems to enrich themselves. They knew what they were doing was wrong. They knew it put Mr. Perry in grave danger - but they did it anyway."

The prosecutor talked about how "a widespread underground criminal network had been uncovered".

(Bild: APA/AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Assistant administered lethal dose of ketamine
As "TMZ" also reported, Perry's assistant pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death and aggravated assault. A man who, according to prosecutors, had helped broker the drug deals also admitted his guilt.

Perry's assistant had administered 20 vials of ketamine to the actor in the last two months of his life, it added. According to investigators, he also admitted to having done this "without medical training".

In addition, Perry's assistant, who lived with the actor in his mansion, is said to have administered "several injections" to the "Friends" star on the day of his death, "Page Six" quoted from the prosecutor's statement.

The fatal dose of ketamine is said to have been bought by Perry from the so-called "Ketamine Queen". During the search of her apartment, numerous drugs were found, including 80 vials of ketamine, thousands of meth pills, cocaine and Xanax.

Perry "froze" after overdose
The allegations against one of the accused doctors are also serious. He is said to have prescribed the ketamine to Perry and even asked another doctor for help because of the large quantities Perry had recently needed.

According to investigators, Perry overdosed in the presence of this doctor 16 days before his death, during which he literally "froze". "Let's not do this anymore," the doctor said in a panic after Perry's seizure. 

Investigation into Perry's death
US media had previously reported that people had been arrested in connection with Perry's death. The successful manhunt comes more than nine months after Perry's death.

The last Instagram photo of Matthew Perry: The "Friends" star was found lifeless in this hot tub in October 2023.

(Bild: https://www.instagram.com/mattyperry4)

The police had focused their work on how the 54-year-old had obtained the anaesthetic ketamine, which he had an unusually high amount of in his blood at the time of his death.

Perry was found in a hot tub in his Los Angeles home last October. Prior to this, the actor had repeatedly spoken publicly about his battle with addiction to alcohol and drugs, among other things, and also wrote about it in his autobiography "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing", which was published last year.

Ketamine therapy
An investigation by the Los Angeles coroner's office revealed in December that Perry had died from the effects of ketamine. Other causes of death included drowning, heart disease and the effects of a drug used to treat opioid addiction.

According to media reports, Perry had been undergoing ketamine therapy for depression and anxiety. However, the last session before his death had been a week and a half ago, which is why the ketamine in his body at the time of death could not have come from this infusion therapy, according to the coroner's office.