Jim Irsay’s shocking Beverly Hills hotel death sparks questions over Dr. Harry Haroutunian and ketamine drug tied to Matthew Perry

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay was found dead on May 21, 2024, at the Beverly Hills Hotel in California. His death certificate listed cardiac arrest from pneumonia and heart problems, but a new report has turned attention to his longtime doctor, Dr.

Harry Haroutunian, also known as “Dr. Harry.” According to a Washington Post investigation, Haroutunian had prescribed Jim Irsay hundreds of opioid pills and up to 14 ketamine injections a day in the months before his death. The same drug, ketamine, was also linked to the death of actor Matthew Perry in October 2023.

Jim Irsay’s death linked to ketamine treatments by Dr. Harry Haroutunian tied to Matthew Perry

The Washington Post story revealed that Haroutunian, age 78, stayed at the Beverly Hills Hotel as part of Jim Irsay’s entourage in the days leading to his death.

Police records do not hold him responsible for Irsay’s passing, but the timing and his treatments have caused debate across the NFL community.Sources told the Post that in December 2023, only months before he died, Irsay suffered two overdoses after being given large amounts of opioids. Haroutunian reportedly continued his ketamine treatments even after those incidents.

Former coworkers from the Betty Ford Center, where Haroutunian once worked as medical director, had cautioned that ketamine should be reserved only for those patients with extreme depression who are resistant to other therapies.

Speaking to the Post, Dr. Harry said he treated Jim Irsay "like a brother" and did everything he could to make him comfortable, but he refused. additional remark citing rules about medical privacy.

Dr. Harry Haroutunian’s lawsuits, FTC probe, and past controversies

This is not the first time Dr. Harry has faced questions about his medical decisions. In 2016, surgeon Dr. Mark Hiesterman sued Haroutunian and the Betty Ford Center, accusing him of lying and falsifying records to force him into a $100,000, three-month rehab program.

Haroutunian denied the claims, and the lawsuit was dismissed the next year after a likely settlement.Also Read: Bill Belichick’s First UNC Season Called Historic By Cheerleader As Tar Heels Football Revamps TraditionsIn 2022, Haroutunian appeared in TV ads for a rehab referral service called R360 LLC, run by businessman Steven Doumar. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) later filed a complaint against Doumar, saying patients were misled and pushed toward clinics that were not properly qualified. Although Haroutunian was not charged, his participation drew criticism.He has also supported troubled colleagues in the past. In 2014, he vouched for Dr. Elsworth Williams, a physician who had lost his license for overprescribing painkillers and misconduct with patients. Despite Haroutunian’s backing, Williams later failed medical exams and permanently surrendered his license in 2018.Today, Dr. Harry runs a boutique rehab service near Palm Springs, California, and continues to describe himself as a psychiatrist in recovery who helps others. But with Jim Irsay’s sudden death, his practices have again come under sharp public scrutiny.