Matthew Perry's live-in assistant sentenced to 41 months for injecting fatal ketamine dose, closing prosecution

The sentencing

Kenneth Iwamasa, the 60-year-old live-in personal assistant to Matthew Perry, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The sentence also includes two years of supervised release and a $10,000 fine. Iwamasa is the fifth and final defendant to be sentenced in the investigation that followed Perry's death at age 54 on October 28, 2023.

I am so sorry to all of you. I'm just so sorry to have done illegal acts I will forever regret. I will take that to my grave.

Judge Garnett told the defendant that his conduct was reckless, not just on the day of Perry's death but in the days leading up to it. She found no hard evidence of malicious intent, though she acknowledged some would disagree, and ruled that Iwamasa did not abuse a position of trust — a finding that could have increased his prison time.

The fatal day and the days before

Prosecutors said Iwamasa administered more than 25 ketamine injections to Perry in the days before his death, including at least three on October 28, 2023. On that day, Perry asked Iwamasa to inject him with a "big one" before getting into the hot tub at his Pacific Palisades home. Iwamasa left to run errands and returned to find Perry floating face down and lifeless.

Shoot me up with a big one.

An autopsy report concluded Perry died from the acute effects of ketamine, which combined with other factors caused him to lose consciousness and drown. Iwamasa had no medical training. He had known Perry since 1992 and had been his live-in assistant since 2022, earning $150,000 a year.

The wider prosecution

Iwamasa was the first defendant to reach a plea deal with federal prosecutors, pleading guilty in August 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death. He became the prosecution's most important witness, providing key evidence against the other defendants.

You wanted control, control over Matthew and everything he owned. What you are is the monster who killed him.

The other four defendants have already been sentenced. Jasveen Sangha, known as the "Ketamine Queen," received a 15-year prison term for supplying the drugs. Erik Fleming, who acted as an intermediary, was sentenced to two years. Two doctors — Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez — were also convicted for exploiting Perry's addiction, receiving sentences of 30 years and three years respectively.

The legal saga concludes

Iwamasa's lawyer, Alan Eisner, had argued for a six-month prison term with six months of home confinement, emphasizing that Iwamasa was always acting at Perry's direct request. The judge instead followed the prosecution's recommendation of at least 41 months. Iwamasa must surrender to California authorities before noon on July 17, 2026.

Perry, who played Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom 'Friends,' had spoken publicly about his decades-long struggles with substance abuse. His death at 54 prompted an outpouring of tributes from fans and Hollywood alike.