US authorities charged five people, including two doctors, in the murder of “Friends” star Matthew Perry, who died at his Los Angeles home last year after dealing with addiction.
“These defendants used Mr Perry’s drug issues to profit themselves. They understood what they were doing was wrong.
“They knew what they were doing was putting Mr Perry in serious danger, but they did it anyway,” said US Attorney Martin Estrada.
The five include two doctors and the actor’s assistant.
“In the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr Perry than caring for his well-being.”
One of the doctors, Salvador Plasencia, could face up to 120 years in federal prison, according to Estrada.
Perry, who played Chandler Bing on the classic TV sitcom from 1994 to 2004, was discovered dead in his swimming pool in October last year at the age of 54, prompting a global outpouring of sadness among fans and colleagues.
An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was “the acute effects of ketamine,” a prohibited medication that the recovering addict was thought to be consuming as part of supervised therapy.
While only trace levels were identified in his stomach, a substantial concentration was revealed in his bloodstream.
The actor’s alleged lack of a supervised injection session for several days sparked a legal probe, with Los Angeles police stating in May that they were looking into his death.
Ketamine is commonly used as an anesthetic by doctors and veterinarians, and researchers have investigated its potential use as a depression treatment. It is illegally used by underground users due to its psychedelic properties.
“Friends,” which followed the lives of six New Yorkers as they navigated maturity, relationships, and careers, garnered a vast global audience and elevated previously unknown actors to megastar status, becoming a fixture in the lives of millions.
One of the most appealing characters was Perry’s Chandler, a snarky 20-something who resisted maturing.
Perry’s humorous talent made him extremely wealthy, but it also concealed a dark side that left him dealing with painkiller and alcohol addiction.
In 2018, he suffered a burst colon as a result of drug use and had many surgeries.
In his memoir “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,” published in 2022, Perry described going through detox dozens of times. He dedicated the book to “all of the sufferers out there,” and wrote in the prologue: “I should be dead.”
“I have mostly been sober since 2001,” he wrote, “save for about sixty or seventy little mishaps over the years.”
His sudden death last year drew shocked reactions from Hollywood A-listers, his costars, and “Friends” fans worldwide.
“Oh boy this one has cut deep,” said Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel on the show.
