Matthew Perry's Former Assistant Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison

The Sentencing of Matthew Perry's Former Assistant

Kenneth Iwamasa, the former personal assistant to actor Matthew Perry, has been sentenced to 41 months in prison in connection with the television star's death from a fatal dose of the hallucinogenic drug ketamine.

The Events Leading to Matthew Perry's Death

Iwamasa had testified, as part of a plea agreement, that he injected Perry with ketamine at the actor's request on October 28, 2023, before leaving to run errands. He had no medical training.

When Iwamasa returned, he found Perry's lifeless body floating in a hot tub at his home in Los Angeles's Pacific Palisades neighbourhood. Perry was 54 years old at the time.

The Impact of Iwamasa's Actions

Iwamasa allegedly gave Perry more than 25 shots of the drug in the days leading to his death, including three on the day he died. Court papers state that the Friends star had asked Iwamasa to 'shoot me up with a big one' in his final moments.

An autopsy report found that Perry died from the 'acute effects of ketamine'. Prosecutors describe Iwamasa as Perry's 'enabler and supplier', continuing to give him injections despite troubling incidents.

The Broader Investigation and Additional Convictions

The sentencing of Iwamasa concludes the prosecution of five people alleged to have facilitated the actor's death by helping him access the drug without proper medical supervision.

• Erik Fleming, a certified drug counsellor, was sentenced to two years in prison for acting as a middleman to help supply Perry with controlled substances.
• Doctors Mark Chavez and Salvador Plasencia, who allegedly profited from Perry's addiction, were also convicted and sentenced in December.
• Jasveen Sangha, a British American woman who sold drugs to wealthy customers, was given a lengthy sentence of 15 years in prison.

The Future Implications

This case highlights the severe consequences of enabling and supplying controlled substances to individuals struggling with addiction. The sentencing serves as a warning to those who would seek to profit from or facilitate drug use.