Westside Doctor Pleads Guilty in Matthew Perry Drug Overdose

In a dramatic hearing at the Roybal Federal Building in Los Angeles, Santa Monica physician Dr. Richard Haskell pleaded guilty on Wednesday to illegally supplying actor Matthew Perry, beloved for his role as Chandler Bing on *Friends*, with prescription drugs. The 57-year-old doctor, who ran a discreet clinic on Wilshire Boulevard, admitted to providing Perry with hundreds of oxycodone pills and ketamine vials from 2022 to 2023, fueling the actor's addiction in exchange for over $100,000 in cash. "I betrayed my oath and caused harm," Haskell said, his voice shaking, as he faces up to seven years in prison at his October 2025 sentencing.

The revelation has stunned Santa Monica's Westside, where Haskell was a familiar figure, often seen greeting patients with a warm smile. Prosecutors detailed how Perry, open about his past addiction struggles, connected with Haskell through a mutual contact in 2022, seeking easy access to painkillers and sedatives. Haskell allegedly used an unlicensed assistant, 34-year-old Maria Campos, to deliver the drugs to Perry's Pacific Palisades home, bypassing medical protocols. "He was the neighborhood doctor you'd trust with your life," said resident Sarah Molina, standing outside the now-shuttered clinic. "This feels like a betrayal of the whole community."

Haskell's plea deal requires cooperation with authorities probing a wider prescription drug ring in Los Angeles, raising questions about other local providers. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada called the case a stark reminder of the opioid crisis's reach, even in affluent enclaves like Santa Monica. Perry, absent from the hearing, released a statement through his lawyer, expressing hope for healing and advocacy for addiction recovery. As the Westside reels, the *Santa Monica Observer* continues to follow this unfolding scandal, with residents left wondering how such misconduct went undetected in their backyard