Matthew Perry’s assistant jailed for 41 months in ketamine death case

The live-in assistant of “Friends” actor Matthew Perry has been sentenced to 41 months in prison for his role in a ketamine distribution network linked to the star’s death in October 2023, bringing a lengthy legal case closer to closure.

Kenneth Iwamasa, 60, admitted to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine and helping coordinate access to large quantities of the drug in the weeks leading up to the actor’s death. Prosecutors said he worked alongside two doctors and helped supply more than $50,000 worth of ketamine. Iwamasa had no medical training.

Perry was found dead in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home. A medical report later attributed his death to the acute effects of ketamine, with drowning listed as a contributing factor.

Iwamasa pleaded guilty in August 2024 to conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death. He faced a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. He was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and will serve two years of supervised release after completing his sentence. He is scheduled to report to prison on July 17.

During sentencing in a Los Angeles court, Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett said Iwamasa was aware of Perry’s addiction struggles yet continued to facilitate and administer the drug, including on the day of his death. The judge also cited attempts to conceal evidence and misleading statements to investigators.

Addressing the court, Iwamasa apologised to Perry’s family, saying he deeply regretted his actions and hoped the case would serve as a warning to others.

Perry’s family submitted victim statements ahead of sentencing, with his sister describing Iwamasa as “more culpable” than other defendants involved in the supply chain.

Iwamasa was the first of five defendants charged in the case to reach a plea deal and the last to be sentenced.

The case has exposed a wider network accused of supplying ketamine to Perry, allegedly exploiting his addiction for profit. A Los Angeles woman known as the “Ketamine Queen” previously received a 15-year sentence, while two doctors and another associate have also been sentenced to prison terms ranging from home detention to 30 months.