Kenneth Iwamasa, the former live-in personal assistant to "Friends" star Matthew Perry, was sentenced Thursday to three years and five months in federal prison for his role in the actor's death from ketamine injection. The 60-year-old pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death, becoming the first of five defendants to reach a plea deal and providing crucial testimony against the others.
Perry died at age 54 on Oct. 28, 2023, after Iwamasa injected him with multiple doses of ketamine that day. When Iwamasa returned from running errands, he found Perry dead in the hot tub at his Los Angeles home. The LA County Medical Examiner later determined ketamine was the primary cause of death, with drowning as a secondary factor.
What the Left Is Saying
Perry's family members expressed anger and grief during sentencing proceedings, arguing Iwamasa deserved no leniency despite his cooperation. Perry's younger sister Caitlin Morrison wrote in a victim impact statement that she had "no sympathy" for the assistant who was supposed to protect her brother.
"Mathew 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," Perry's mother Suzanne Morrison wrote. "We trusted a man without a conscience, and my son paid the price."
Perry's sister Madeline Morrison described feeling betrayed twice — first by Iwamasa's actions on the day of her brother's death, then again when she learned he had lied to investigators about what happened.
"The person responsible for my brother's death stood up and addressed the people who loved him most," she wrote. "He didn't just take my brother's life — he tainted our final memories of saying goodbye."
What the Right Is Saying
Iwamasa's defense attorneys argued their client was caught in a difficult employment dynamic that made it nearly impossible to refuse Perry's demands for drugs. In presentencing filings, they noted Iwamasa had "a particular vulnerability to the relationship dynamic which he fell into with the victim" and that he could not simply say no to his employer.
The defense team said Iwamasa became increasingly involved in Perry's drug use after being asked to administer injections because Perry had difficulty finding usable veins. They portrayed him as someone who was manipulated rather than a willing participant in distributing drugs.
Federal prosecutors acknowledged Iwamasa's cooperation in securing convictions against the doctor, dealer, and two middlemen who supplied the ketamine that killed Perry. His testimony helped convict Jasveen Sangha, who received 15 years; Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who received 2.5 years; and Erik Fleming, who received 2 years.
What the Numbers Show
The sentencing for Iwamasa falls between those of his co-defendants: three years and five months compared to 15 years for Sangha, two-and-a-half years for Dr. Plasencia, and two years each for Fleming and another defendant. Prosecutors had sought the sentence they received after factoring inIwamasa's extensive cooperation.
Court documents revealed Iwamasa was paid $150,000 annually as Perry's live-in assistant. In his final weeks, Iwamasa told investigators he administered six to eight ketamine injections per day to Perry, who had struggled with addiction throughout his adult life and sought treatment numerous times. On the day of his death, prosecutors said Perry told Iwamasa to "shoot me up with a big one."
The five defendants collectively faced charges related to distributing ketamine to Perry without legitimate medical purpose, with prosecutors establishing that Sangha operated an illegal drug distribution network from her Los Angeles home.
The Bottom Line
The case highlights the complexities of addiction and the legal consequences for those who enable substance abuse. Iwamasa's cooperation earned him a significantly reduced sentence compared to others in the conspiracy, though Perry's family maintains he bore unique responsibility as someone trusted to protect the actor.
The sentencing concludes the criminal proceedings stemming from one of Hollywood's most publicized deaths involving ketamine, an anesthetic that has seen increased recreational use and remains under scrutiny for its role in Perry's fatal outcome. The case serves as a reminder of the legal risks involved in distributing controlled substances, even when done at another's direction.