Matthew Perry's assistant, the famous American actor, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for injecting ketamine into the actor, which caused his death in 2023.
On Wednesday, 27 May 2026 GMT+7, a U.S. court sentenced Kenneth Iwamasa, Matthew Perry's late assistant, to 41 months in prison for injecting ketamine into the actor, causing his death in 2023.
Prosecutors revealed that Iwamasa collaborated with two doctors to supply Matthew Perry with ketamine worth over $50,000 in the weeks before his death. Notably, Iwamasa had no medical knowledge or training.
Matthew Perry was found dead in his hot tub behind his Los Angeles home on 28 Oct 2023 GMT+7. The autopsy determined he died from the acute effects of a ketamine overdose, with contributing factors including drowning, heart disease, and the presence of buprenorphine.
In August 2024, Iwamasa pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death, a federal offense punishable by up to 15 years in prison. He admitted regularly injecting ketamine into Perry, including multiple times on the day Perry died.
Besides imprisonment, he was sentenced to two years of supervised release after prison and fined $10,000. He is scheduled to report for incarceration on 17 July.
At the Los Angeles court hearing last Wednesday, Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett stated that Iwamasa was well aware of Perry's addiction struggles and had attempted to conceal evidence after the actor's death.
The 60-year-old Iwamasa faced Perry's family and apologized, saying, “I sincerely apologize to all of you. I deeply regret breaking the law, something I will feel remorse for my entire life, and I will carry this guilt until my death.”
“I hope my story serves as a warning to anyone in a situation like mine to choose a better path,” Iwamasa added.
Before sentencing, Perry's mother and sisters submitted letters to the judge expressing gratitude and their stance on the sentencing.
Matthew Perry's sister, Caitlin Morrison, wrote in her letter, “I have no sympathy for Kenny Iwamasa,” adding that on the night Perry died, Iwamasa walking away showed he was either fleeing from what he knew he had done or deliberately abandoning a vulnerable person in a dangerous situation.
Another sister, Madeline Morrison, stated in her letter that she believes Iwamasa “is more culpable than” Jasveen Sangha, the ketamine dealer.
Perry's mother, Susan Morrison, said Iwamasa's "most important duty" was to be a friend and caretaker, supporting her son in his addiction recovery and keeping him drug-free.
,bbc