Matthew Perry’s live-in assistant has been sentenced to 41 months in prison for his role in the actor’s ketamine overdose death.
Kenneth Iwamasa, 60, was sentenced in federal court in Los Angeles after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death following the death of the beloved Friends star in October 2023.
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Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett also sentenced Iwamasa to two years of probation and ordered him to pay a $10,000 fine.
The sentencing marks the fifth and final conviction in the sweeping investigation into Perry’s death at the age of 54.
Before handing down the sentence, Judge Garnett criticised Iwamasa’s conduct in the days leading up to the actor’s death.
“You were privy to his struggle with addiction. Your conduct was reckless, not just on the day of his death but in the days leading up to his death.”
However, the judge stopped short of saying Iwamasa had abused a position of trust, which could have increased the prison term, adding: “There is no hard evidence that you acted with malicious intent, though some would disagree.”
Iwamasa had worked closely with Perry in the final months of his life and admitted to sourcing ketamine illegally and injecting the actor multiple times per day.
He was also the last person to see Perry alive and later discovered him dead in a hot tub at his home on October 28, 2023.
Standing before the court, Iwamasa addressed Perry’s family 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 prosecution’s key witness after pleading guilty in August 2024.
His lawyer, Alan Eisner, argued for a significantly lighter sentence, claiming his client was acting under pressure from a wealthy and famous 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.”
But the judge interrupted when the defence argued Iwamasa was unable to act differently.
“Unwilling. Not unable. He could have said no.”
Matthew Perry starred alongside David Schwimmer in the world's most-watched sitcom FRIENDS for 10 years. FeatureFlash Photography, Shutterstock
Perry’s family delivered emotional victim impact statements in court, making clear they held Iwamasa largely responsible for the actor’s death.
Perry’s mother, Suzanne Morrison, wrote: “Matthew trusted Kenny. We trusted Kenny. Kenny’s most important job — by far — was to be my son’s companion and guardian in his fight against addiction.”
“We trusted a man without a conscience, and my son paid the price.”
Perry’s stepfather, veteran journalist Keith Morrison, said the family had once viewed Iwamasa as one of their own.
“We really felt that (Iwamasa) was part of the family. We trusted him implicitly.”
He added: “You did the injections. You could have made the phone call. But you didn’t. Because you were living a dandy life.”
Perry’s longtime business manager and estate executor Lisa Ferguson accused Iwamasa of exploiting the actor’s addiction and isolating him from those trying to help him recover.
“What you are is the monster that killed him,” she said.
“Matthew deserved to live. You don’t.”
Matthew Perry was very vocal about his own addiction, working with charities to raise awareness and help other addicts. Rena Schild, Shutterstock
According to prosecutors, Perry had legally received ketamine treatments for depression before seeking larger quantities outside medical supervision.
Iwamasa admitted obtaining ketamine from doctor Salvador Plasencia, who later taught him how to inject the drug. Plasencia was sentenced to two and a half years in prison earlier this year.
Iwamasa also bought ketamine through Perry acquaintance Erik Fleming, who sourced the drug from dealer Jasveen Sangha, known in court as the “Ketamine Queen”.
Fleming received a two-year prison sentence, while Sangha was sentenced to 15 years in prison in April.
Court documents revealed Perry was being injected with ketamine between six and eight times per day in the final days before his death.
On October 23, 2023, Iwamasa injected Perry with a large dose before leaving the house to run errands. He later returned to find the actor dead in the hot tub.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner ruled ketamine as the primary cause of death, with drowning listed as a secondary factor.
Initially, Iwamasa lied to investigators and omitted ketamine from the list of medications Perry had been using, but later cooperated with authorities after police executed a search warrant in early 2024.
Perry rose to global fame playing Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom Friends alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow. The series ran from 1994 until 2004 and made Perry one of the most recognisable television stars of his generation.
