Matthew Perry’s former live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, has been sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for his role in the ketamine scheme that led to the Friends star’s death.
Iwamasa, 61, was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett in Los Angeles, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. The court also ordered him to pay a $10,000 fine and serve two years of supervised release.
Wednesday’s sentencing marked the final chapter in the federal criminal case tied to Perry’s October 2023 overdose death. Iwamasa pleaded guilty in August 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death and serious bodily injury.
Iwamasa Was the Final Defendant Sentenced
The Justice Department said Iwamasa was the fifth and final defendant sentenced in connection with Perry’s death. He had known Perry since 1992 and became the actor’s live-in personal assistant in 2022.
Prosecutors said Iwamasa was paid $150,000 per year and handled responsibilities that included coordinating Perry’s medical care and making sure he took medication prescribed by treating physicians.
Despite that trusted role, prosecutors said Iwamasa had no medical training and knew Perry had a long history of addiction. In their sentencing position, they described him as Perry’s “enabler and drug supplier.”
Prosecutors Said There Were Serious Warning Signs Before Perry Died
Before sentencing, TMZ reported that prosecutors were asking for a 41-month prison sentence and supervised release. The outlet cited the government’s sentencing memo, which accused Iwamasa of ignoring clear warning signs in the weeks before Perry died.
According to the Justice Department, Iwamasa found Perry unconscious at his residence on at least two occasions in October 2023. Prosecutors also said he saw Perry “freeze up” and become unable to move or speak after a ketamine injection from Dr. Salvador Plasencia.
Even after those episodes, prosecutors said Iwamasa continued arranging and administering ketamine. They also said he concealed information from police after Perry’s death and took steps to remove or destroy evidence tied to Perry’s ketamine use.
Prosecutors Said He Injected Perry on the Day He Died
The Justice Department said Iwamasa conspired with multiple people, including Plasencia and drug counselor Erik Fleming, to knowingly distribute ketamine to Perry.
Plasencia distributed 20 vials of ketamine, multiple tablets and syringes to Perry and Iwamasa, according to prosecutors. The Justice Department said Plasencia also taught Iwamasa how to inject Perry, even though Iwamasa was not medically trained.
In October 2023, Iwamasa purchased 51 vials of ketamine from Fleming over 11 days, prosecutors said. Fleming obtained the ketamine from Jasveen Sangha, whom prosecutors identified as the North Hollywood dealer known as the “Ketamine Queen.”
On Oct. 28, 2023, Iwamasa injected Perry with at least three shots of Sangha’s ketamine, which prosecutors said caused Perry’s death.
Perry’s Family Submitted Emotional Statements
Members of Perry’s family submitted victim impact statements before sentencing. People reported that Perry’s mother, Suzanne Morrison, wrote that the family had trusted Iwamasa and felt betrayed by what happened.
People also reported that Perry’s sisters, Caitlin and Madeline Morrison, filed statements describing the pain of learning more about the circumstances surrounding their brother’s death.
Perry was 54 when he was found unresponsive in the hot tub at his Los Angeles home on Oct. 28, 2023. Reuters reported that the autopsy concluded he died from the acute effects of ketamine, with drowning and other factors contributing.
Other Defendants Have Already Been Sentenced
The other defendants in the case had already received their sentences by the time Iwamasa appeared in court. Sangha was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison in April, according to the Justice Department.
Plasencia was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine. Fleming was sentenced to two years in prison. Former physician Mark Chavez received eight months of home detention, 300 hours of community service and three years of probation.
The sentencing closes the criminal case tied to Perry’s death, but public attention around the actor’s addiction struggles has continued long after the investigation began. Perry wrote openly about addiction before his death and remained closely identified with Chandler Bing, the Friends role that made him one of television’s defining sitcom stars.