Matthew Perry’s Debts Settled by Manager Nearly One Year After Death

Matthew Perry’s debts have all been settled by his longtime business manager, Lisa Ferguson, almost one year after the Friends star’s death.

Actor Perry was found dead in a hot tub at his home on October 28, 2023, at the age of 54. In December of that year, it was determined that his death was caused by the “acute effects of ketamine,” a dissociative anesthetic used as a treatment for depression and pain management. He subsequently drowned in the hot tub.

Ketamine is often used to treat depression and anxiety. It was determined the high levels of ketamine in his system led to cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression, ultimately ruling his death an accident.

As the one-year anniversary of Perry’s death nears, In Touch Weekly has reported that Ferguson revealed the actor left behind assets totaling just under $1.6 million.

Citing a final accounting report submitted in Perry’s probate case, the publication reported that Ferguson, who was appointed executor of the actor’s estate, said no creditor’s claims has been filed and that there were no unpaid creditor’s claims.

Declaring the estate “solvent,” Ferguson reportedly added that she did not receive any written demands for payments and that all debts were settled without the requirement of the court intervening. Income and personal taxes were among the payments made, per Ferguson. It is also stated that none of Perry’s assets were sold.

“An extension for filing the federal estate tax return has been timely filed and Petitioner has made sufficient payments for the estate taxes estimated to be due,” read part of the report. “Petitioner will pay any additional estate taxes determined to be due, in her capacity as Trustee of the Alvy Singer Living Trust dated June 2, 1999, as amended.”

Beneficiaries of Perry’s estate include his parents, three half-sisters, and his ex-girlfriend Rachel Dunn.

Per the report, Ferguson has asked to be paid $28,000 for her services.

A previous filing revealed that Perry has created a will in 2009. The majority of his assets were placed into his Alvy Singer Living Trust. This did not include his personal property at the time of his death, but likely included such assets as his home. The trust bears the same name as Woody Allen’s character in the 1977 movie Annie Hall.

Perry had requested for the trust to be run by Ferguson, as well as producer and writer Robin Ruzan, who is the ex-wife of Hollywood actor Mike Myers.

Newsweek has contacted a representative of Perry via email for comment.

Guilty Pleas

The report comes two weeks after Dr. Mark Chavez, one of two doctors charged in Perry’s death, pleaded guilty in a federal court in Los Angeles to conspiring to distribute the surgical ketamine.

After the guilty October 2 plea, San Diego-based Chavez, 54, could still face up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on April 2, 2025.

In August, the doctor signed a plea deal with prosecutors who offered lesser charges to Chavez and two others in exchange for their cooperation in pursuing the main targets of the investigation of the actor’s fatal overdose: Dr. Salvador Plasencia and Jasveen Sangha, an alleged drug dealer known as the “Ketamine Queen” of Los Angeles.

Chavez admitted in the plea deal that he procured ketamine from his former clinic and a wholesale distributor using a fraudulent prescription. If convicted, he could serve up to 10 years in prison. Chavez is currently free on bond after surrendering his passport and medical license.

In an initial August 30 court appearance, his lawyer, Matthew Binninger, said Chavez is “incredibly remorseful” and is “trying to do everything in his power to right the wrong that happened here.”

Perry’s live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa and acquaintance Erik Fleming have also cooperated with federal authorities. Iwamasa admitted to helping Perry obtain and inject ketamine, while Fleming admitted to being a middleman. Both are now aiding the prosecution against Plasencia and Sangha.

Sangha is accused of selling Perry the lethal dose of ketamine. Plasencia allegedly sold Perry ketamine just a month before his death and wanted to be the actor’s sole supplier. He, allegedly, is also the person who wrote in a text message, “I wonder how much this moron will pay?”

Both Plasencia and Sangha have pleaded not guilty and await trial. They will be tried together with a pretrial hearing scheduled for February 19, 2025, and trial set to begin March 4, 2025.

Last month, Sangha’s high-profile lawyer Mark Geragos told Newsweek that he “takes issue” with his client’s viral nickname, especially because she never knew Perry.

“Even though I give the U.S. Attorney an A for creativity in nicknaming her in the indictment ‘The Ketamine Queen,’ there’s no basis for that,” Geragos said.

“The coroner’s report does not reflect the homicide. It reflects an accidental death. I think all of these so-called urban legends that somehow my client knew Matthew Perry are demonstrably false,” he added.