Matthew Perry’s former live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, was sentenced on Wednesday to three years and five months in prison for his role in the actor’s ketamine addiction and for administering the fatal dose that led to Perry’s death.
The sentence was handed down by Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett in federal court in Los Angeles. In addition to the prison term, Iwamasa, 60, received two years of probation and a $10,000 US fine.
The sentencing marks the conclusion of a two-and-a-half-year investigation and prosecution that followed Perry’s death on Oct. 28, 2023, at the age of 54.
Addressing Iwamasa before sentencing, Garnett said, “You were privy to his struggle with addiction.” She added, “Your conduct was reckless, not just on the day of his death but in the days leading up to his death.”
The prison term matched what prosecutors had requested. However, the judge disagreed with some aspects of their argument. She ruled that Iwamasa had not abused a position of trust, a finding that could have increased his sentence. She also stated that “there is no hard evidence that you acted with malicious intent, though some would disagree.”
‘I’m horribly sorry’
In Perry’s final days, Iwamasa played multiple roles in his life, serving as an assistant, facilitator of drug purchases and, effectively, someone administering medical injections. He was the last person to see Perry alive and later discovered him unresponsive in his hot tub.
Before the court delivered its sentence, Iwamasa addressed Perry’s family and friends directly.
“I’m horribly, horribly sorry, and I offer my condolences to you,” he said. “I’m just so sorry to have done these illegal acts that I will forever regret. I will take that to my grave.”
Iwamasa became the first defendant to cooperate with prosecutors, pleading guilty in August 2024 to conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death. His cooperation made him a key witness in the case.
His attorney, Alan Eisner, argued that a shorter sentence of six months in prison followed by six months of home confinement would be more appropriate. Eisner emphasized that Iwamasa had acted under the direction of a powerful employer.
“His loyalty to Mr. Perry was paramount,” Eisner told the court. “He worshipped Mr. Perry, he looked up to Mr. Perry. All he did was please and accommodate Mr. Perry.”
When Eisner suggested that Iwamasa had been unable to act differently, Judge Garnett interrupted him.
“Unwilling. Not unable. He could have said no.”
‘You are the monster that killed him’
Perry’s stepfather, veteran Dateline journalist Keith Morrison, spoke on behalf of the family during the hearing.
“We really felt that he was part of the family,” Morrison said. “We trusted him implicitly.”
While acknowledging the imbalance of power between Perry and Iwamasa, Morrison stressed that Iwamasa still had choices.
“You did the injections. You could have made the phone call,” he said. “But you didn’t. Because you were living a dandy life. … You were in control of one of the most famous people in the world.”
Lisa Ferguson, who managed Perry’s business affairs for much of his career and now serves as executor of his estate, delivered an even harsher assessment. She alleged that Iwamasa intentionally distanced Perry from others in his support system, including sober companions and medical professionals, in order to increase his own influence.
She accused him of exploiting Perry’s addiction for personal benefit.
“What you are is the monster that killed him,” she said. According to Ferguson, he had shown “not a shred of guilt or remorse” since Perry’s death and deserved to “rot in prison.”
“Matthew deserved to live,” she said. “You don’t.”
Perry hired Iwamasa in 2022 and paid him $150,000 US annually to live in his Los Angeles home and serve as his assistant.
The actor had been legally prescribed ketamine to treat depression, a practice that has become increasingly common. However, prosecutors said Perry sought larger amounts than his physician was willing to provide.
Last of five defendants sentenced
According to court records, Iwamasa purchased ketamine outside legal channels from physician Salvador Plasencia, who taught him how to administer the injections. Plasencia was sentenced in July to two-and-a-half years in prison.
Iwamasa also obtained ketamine through Perry associate Erik Fleming, who sourced the drug from a street dealer. Fleming received a two-year prison sentence earlier this month.
The dealer, Jasveen Sangha, known as “the Ketamine Queen,” was sentenced to 15 years in prison on April 8.
In the days leading up to Perry’s death, Iwamasa was reportedly injecting him with ketamine six to eight times daily. On Oct. 23, 2023, he administered a large dose before leaving the home to run errands.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner later determined that ketamine was the primary cause of Perry’s death, while drowning was listed as a secondary factor.
Initially, Iwamasa misled investigators by failing to disclose Perry’s ketamine use and omitting any mention of the injections. However, after authorities executed a search warrant in January 2024, he began cooperating and provided a fuller account of events.
Perry rose to international fame as one of the stars of the hit NBC sitcom Friends, alongside Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow. The show ran from 1994 to 2004 and made its cast some of the most recognizable television actors of their generation.
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving diaspora communities across 44 languages. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, Unifor, NEPMCC, and the Canada Freelance Union. He holds CAVCO Personnel Number SINH0106. Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
