Can the investigation into Matthew Perry’s death lead to arrests? This is what experts believe

The death of Matthew Perry from the acute effects of ketamine sparked a seven-month investigation as authorities attempted to locate the source of the powerful drug.

According to People’s Report, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation said authorities plan to file charges against “multiple people” in connection with the investigation by the LAPD, DEA and the U.S. Postal Inspectorate. The source added that the investigation is nearing completion, but noted that it will ultimately be up to the U.S. Attorney’s Office to decide whether or not to file charges.

But what charges could one face for alleged involvement in the Friends star’s death or a later charge related to the Friends star’s death? Find out below!

Possible charges in the Matthew Perry case: Who could be arrested or charged?

Citing an anonymous expert, People reported that federal authorities may be investigating trafficking in controlled substances that led to the actor’s death or a conspiracy to resell the powerful drug that took Perry’s life.

Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told the newspaper: “This is primarily used to prosecute drug traffickers, but it can also be used to prosecute drug factories and doctors.” He added that doctors who “prescribe too many drugs” and do not examine their patients at all would be charged under this paragraph.

According to Rahmani, those convicted face minimum sentences of varying magnitude and, in some cases, even life imprisonment.

Former CIA and FBI special agent Tracy Walder told People that investigators may also be looking at mail fraud charges in cases involving the illegal transportation of drugs across state lines to people who were not prescribed the drugs but want them.

“This is obviously a crime,” Walder noted, adding that authorities handling Perry’s case were likely starting from that point and that was most likely the evidence they would present in the case. Those are the charges she came up with, not a “murder charge.”

The expert also wanted to explore a side aspect of the case, saying it could also be the case that someone in Perry’s inner circle sought a doctor from multiple doctors in different states, and those doctors could have sent prescriptions across state lines. Walder said she isn’t sure if that’s the case, but if it turns out to be true, that person could also be held responsible and charged in the same way as a doctor who prescribes drugs across state lines.

Medical licenses are issued by the state, explained Dr. Michelle Reyes of California. The expert noted that a doctor can only prescribe something to a person if he or she is physically located in his or her licensing state. A doctor cannot write a prescription to someone in another state, let alone mail prescription drugs to a patient in another state. This is a practice that is not supported by a state license.

After the court has compiled a list of perpetrators and suspects in Perry’s case, it must convene a grand jury. Then, investigators must present all the evidence and wait for the jury to decide whether or not to indict and charge the person or persons, Walder said. It could take a year or more for charges to be filed, she noted. “Once charges are filed, they can make arrests. If not, the case goes back to the state and they can decide whether to proceed or not.”

Background to the death of Matthew Perry: What happened last year

Perry, 54, was found dead in a hot tub at his home in Pacific Palisades, California on October 28, 2023.

The Los Angeles County coroner said Perry had received ketamine infusion therapy for anxiety and depression, but the last known session was a week and a half before his death. This ruled out the possibility that the drug residue present in the actor’s body at the time of his death came from that session. The average half-life of ketamine is said to be between 3 and 4 hours.

The autopsy report listed drowning, coronary heart disease and the effects of buprenorphine, a drug used to treat opioid use disorder, as factors contributing to his death.

The LAPD began investigating the star’s death in December, immediately after the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office closed the case.

Perry, by the way, struggled with addiction for most of his life, a struggle he described in detail in his memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Things.