Nearly a year after the tragic passing of Friends star Matthew Perry, his longtime business manager, Lisa Ferguson, has successfully settled his debts. Perry was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his home on October 28, 2023, at just 54 years old. Following an investigation, it was concluded that his death resulted from “acute effects of ketamine,” which led to drowning.
Ketamine, commonly used to treat depression and anxiety, caused Perry to experience both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression, marking his passing as accidental.
As the anniversary of his death approaches, In Touch Weekly reports that Ferguson disclosed Perry’s assets amount to almost $1.6 million. This information emerged from a final accounting report related to Perry’s probate case, indicating that no creditor’s claims were filed against the estate.
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Ferguson, now the executor of Perry’s estate, certified that all debts have been cleared without needing court intervention, which included payments for income and personal taxes. Notably, no assets were liquidated during this process.
“An extension for filing the federal estate tax return has been timely filed and sufficient payments for estimated taxes have been made,” the report noted. Additionally, beneficiaries of the estate include Perry’s parents, three half-sisters, and his ex-girlfriend Rachel Dunn.
Ferguson has requested $28,000 for her management services. Perry’s affairs had been largely organized through a will created in 2009, placing his assets into the Alvy Singer Living Trust, named after a character from the movie Annie Hall. Ferguson and producer Robin Ruzan, ex-wife of actor Mike Myers, have been designated to oversee this trust.
Legal Proceedings
This report follows the guilty plea of Dr. Mark Chavez, one of two physicians implicated in Perry’s overdose, who admitted to conspiring to distribute ketamine. Chavez could face a maximum of ten years in prison, with sentencing set for April 2, 2025.
Chavez entered a plea agreement offering lesser charges in exchange for cooperation against key players in the ongoing investigation, including Dr. Salvador Plasencia and the alleged dealer known as the “Ketamine Queen.”
Chavez acknowledged acquiring ketamine using bogus prescriptions, while Perry’s assistant Kenneth Iwamasa and a contact named Erik Fleming have also assisted authorities. Iwamasa admitted to helping Perry administer ketamine, while Fleming acted as a middleman in the transactions.
Plasencia and Sangha, who are facing serious accusations in connection to Perry’s death, have pleaded not guilty and are scheduled for trial beginning March 4, 2025. Their defense suggests that the legal claims being made are unfounded and refer to the case as an accidental death, rather than homicide. The forthcoming legal proceedings remain critical as they seek to unravel the circumstances behind Perry’s tragic passing.