Topics: Celebrity, Matthew Perry, US News
Matthew Perry’s step-dad has spoken out after arrests were made in connection with the Friends actor’s death.
United States Attorney, Martin Estrada, told a press briefing on Thursday (15 August) that five people have been charged in connection with Perry’s death of 'acute effects of ketamine' last October.
Authorities announced that the investigation had uncovered a 'broad criminal network' of ketamine suppliers who 'took advantage' of Perry's addiction issues.
Speaking at the press briefing, Estrada said: "These defendants took advantage of Mr Perry's addiction issues to enrich themselves.
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"They knew what they were doing was wrong, they knew what they were doing, was risking great danger to Mr Perry, but they did it anyways.
"In the end these defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr Perry than caring for his well being."
He continued to say: "As many of you know, Mr Perry struggled with addiction in the past. Now many occasions he saw it help for his addiction issues.
"The investigation revealed it in the fall of 2023, Mr Perry fell back into addiction, and these defendants took advantage to profit for themselves."
Elsewhere, Estrada added: "These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being.
"Drug dealers selling dangerous substances are gambling with other people’s lives over greed. This case, along with our many other prosecutions of drug-dealers who cause death, send a clear message that we will hold drug-dealers accountable for the deaths they cause."
Since then, Perry's step-father, Keith Morrison, has spoke about the arrests.
He told PEOPLE in a statement: "We were and still are heartbroken by Matthew’s death, but it has helped to know law enforcement has taken his case very seriously.
"We look forward to justice taking its course and we’re grateful for the exceptional work of the multiple agencies whose agents investigated Matthew’s death."
Morrison continued: "We’re hoping unscrupulous suppliers of dangerous drugs will get the message."
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram added at the press briefing: "Matthew Perry’s journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials.
"Every day, the DEA works tirelessly with our federal, state, and local partners to protect the public and to hold accountable those that distribute deadly and dangerous drugs – whether they are local drug traffickers or doctors who violate their sworn oath to care for patients."
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