Los angeles: Matthew Perry's live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, was sentenced to three years and five months in prison for his involvement in the actor's ketamine addiction and subsequent death. Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett delivered the sentence in federal court, also imposing two years of probation and a $10,000 fine on the 60-year-old.
According to Ghana Web, this sentencing marks the conclusion of a 2 1/2-year investigation following Perry's death at age 54 on October 28, 2023. Judge Garnett highlighted Iwamasa's reckless conduct, stating it was not limited to the day of Perry's death but extended to the days leading up to it. The sentence aligns with what prosecutors sought, although Garnett noted that there was no definitive evidence of malicious intent on Iwamasa's part.
Iwamasa, who was with Perry during his final days, acted as the actor's enabler, drug messenger, and de facto doctor. He was the last person to see Perry alive and the one who found him dead in his Jacuzzi. Iwamasa had entered a plea agreement in August 2024, pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death, and became a crucial witness for the prosecution.
Iwamasa's lawyer, Alan Eisner, argued for a lighter sentence, emphasizing Iwamasa's loyalty to Perry and his perceived inability to refuse his boss's directives. However, Judge Garnett countered this argument, stating that Iwamasa was unwilling, not unable, to act differently.
Perry's family expressed their belief that Iwamasa bore significant responsibility for the actor's death. In letters to the judge, they conveyed their trust in Iwamasa to help Perry maintain sobriety, a trust they felt was betrayed. Perry's mother, Suzanne Morrison, emphasized this sentiment, blaming Iwamasa for her son's demise.
Iwamasa, who was hired by Perry in 2022 and paid $150,000 annually to live and work in the actor's Los Angeles home, was implicated in purchasing ketamine from an unauthorized source after Perry sought more of the drug than his doctor would provide. The plea agreement revealed that Iwamasa obtained ketamine from Dr. Salvador Plasencia and later from Erik Fleming, an acquaintance of Perry's, who sourced it from street dealer Jasveen Sangha.
Plasencia received a 2 1/2-year sentence in July, Fleming was sentenced to two years in prison two weeks prior, and Sangha, known as 'The Ketamine Queen,' received a 15-year sentence in April. In the days leading to Perry's death, Iwamasa administered ketamine injections to him multiple times daily. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner determined that ketamine was the primary cause of death, with drowning as a secondary factor.
Initially, Iwamasa misled the police by omitting ketamine from the list of medications Perry was using. However, he began to reveal the truth following a search warrant in January 2024. Perry rose to fame as part of the cast of 'Friends,' NBC's hit sitcom that aired from 1994 to 2004, alongside co-stars Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, and Lisa Kudrow.