*Updated on August 15 at 2:44 p.m.:
Multiple arrests have been made in connection with Friends actor Matthew Perry's death. Perry died last year at the age of 54.
Five people—including two doctors—have been charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine, according to reports. Two of the defendants, including Perry's assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, have pleaded guilty to charges already, and a third person has agreed to plead guilty.
“These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry’s addiction issues to enrich themselves. They knew what they were doing was wrong," U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said.
Perry was found unresponsive in the hot tub at his L.A. home in October 2023.
An autopsy later revealed that the amount of ketamine in Perry’s blood at the time of his death was in the range used for general anesthesia during surgery. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner said in the autopsy report that Perry also drowned in "the heated end of his pool"—a secondary factor in his death, which was deemed an accident.
Perry was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy, an experimental treatment used to treat depression and anxiety. However, the medical examiner said that his last treatment 1.5 weeks earlier wouldn't explain the levels of ketamine in his blood, as the drug typically metabolizes in a matter of hours.
Back in May, the Los Angeles Police Department opened an investigation into Perry's death to determine why he had so much ketamine in his system when he died.
*This is an ongoing story and will be updated accordingly. Refresh for the latest!
