Five people charged in connection with Matthew Perry's death
The beloved Friends star died at the age of 54 last year.
Five people have been charged in connection with Matthew Perry's death amid an ongoing investigation.
US Attorney Martin Estrada announced at a press conference that two of the defendants, including Perry's assistant, have already pleaded guilty to charges, and a third person has agreed to plead guilty.
Meanwhile, two others – a doctor and an alleged drug dealer known as "The Ketamine Queen" – were arrested on Thursday.
"These defendants took advantage of Mr Perry's addiction issues to enrich themselves," Estrada said. "They knew what they were doing was wrong."
Perry's death at the age of 54 in October 2023 was attributed to the acute effects of ketamine by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office, and earlier this year Los Angeles police said they were working with federal authorities to investigate the source of the drug.
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said on Thursday: "As Matthew Perry's ketamine addiction grew, he wanted more, and he wanted it faster and cheaper, that is how he ended up buying from street dealers who sold the ketamine that ultimately led to his death."
The tragic news of Perry's death was greeted with a huge outpouring of grief from the world of entertainment when it was announced in October, with his fellow actors on Friends among those to pay heartfelt tributes to the late actor.
David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and Jennifer Aniston wrote in a joint statement: "We were more than just castmates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss."
They added: "In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty's family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world."
They each also posted individual messaged in the subsequent days and weeks, while tributes were paid to Perry at a number of awards ceremonies, including the Emmys, the Oscars and the BAFTA TV awards.
Perry starred as Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom for 10 years, as it became one of the most beloved sitcoms ever made and won a string of awards.
In addition to that iconic role, he also appeared in films such as Three to Tango, The Whole Nine Yards and 17 Again, as well as making appearances in TV shows including Ally McBeal, The West Wing and The Good Wife.
In March this year, Perry's stepfather Keith Morrison – who is known for his work on Dateline NBC – noted that Perry had been happy before his death, stating: "He said so, and he hadn't said that for a long time. It's a source of comfort, but also, he didn't get to have his third act, and that's not fair."
Read more:
- Matthew Perry wanted to be remembered for more than just Friends
- Friends star reveals hilarious moment that was Matthew Perry's idea
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Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
