Matthew Perry's assistant sentenced for role in actor's ketamine overdose death
Consensus Summary
Matthew Perry, the iconic actor from Friends, died on October 28, 2023, at age 54 from a ketamine overdose, with drowning listed as a secondary cause. His live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, was sentenced to three years and five months in prison for his role in supplying and administering the fatal dose. Iwamasa, who had known Perry for over two decades and earned $150,000 annually, injected Perry with ketamine six to eight times daily in the final days of his life. The case involved a network of suppliers, including Jasveen Sangha, the 'Ketamine Queen,' sentenced to 15 years, and Erik Fleming, sentenced to two years. Perry had legally used ketamine for depression but sought higher doses illegally, leading to his death. Iwamasa initially lied to police but later cooperated, becoming a key witness. Perry’s family, including his mother and sister, expressed deep blame toward Iwamasa for enabling his addiction and failing to support his sobriety, despite initially trusting him to help. The sentencing marked the end of a two-and-a-half-year investigation involving five individuals.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Kenneth Iwamasa, Matthew Perry's live-in personal assistant, was sentenced to three years and five months in prison for conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death.
- Iwamasa injected Perry with ketamine six to eight times per day in the final days of his life, including the fatal dose on October 28, 2023.
- Matthew Perry died at age 54 on October 28, 2023, from ketamine overdose, with drowning listed as a secondary cause by the LA County Medical Examiner.
- Jasveen Sangha, dubbed 'The Ketamine Queen,' was sentenced to 15 years in prison for supplying ketamine.
- Erik Fleming, a drug addiction counselor and Perry acquaintance, was sentenced to two years in prison for his role in the ketamine distribution.
- Salvador Plasencia, a former doctor, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years (30 months) in prison for supplying ketamine to Iwamasa.
- Iwamasa pleaded guilty in 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death and became a key witness for prosecutors.
- Perry had been legally prescribed ketamine for depression but sought higher doses illegally, leading to his fatal overdose.
- Iwamasa was Perry's live-in assistant from 2022, earning $150,000 annually, and had known Perry for over two decades.
- Perry's family, including his mother Suzanne Morrison and sister Madeline Morrison, expressed blame toward Iwamasa for enabling his addiction and failing to help his sobriety.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Iwamasa was the last person to see Perry alive and found him dead in his Jacuzzi.
- Iwamasa initially lied to police, omitting ketamine from Perry's medication list, but later cooperated after a search warrant in January 2024.
- Mark Chavez, another doctor involved, was sentenced to eight months of home detention and three years of supervised release (not mentioned in Guardian).
- The sentencing was the fifth and final in a two-and-a-half-year investigation following Perry's death.
- Iwamasa's lawyers argued he was an employee acting on Perry's behalf and had a 'particular vulnerability' in their relationship.
- Iwamasa’s attorneys described the relationship between Perry and his assistant as a 'stark power imbalance,' where Iwamasa 'could not simply say no.'
- Perry’s sister Madeline Morrison noted Iwamasa behaved 'unsettled' after Perry’s death, repeatedly offering his version of events without being asked.
- Mark Chavez, another doctor, was sentenced to eight months of home detention and three years of supervised release (not mentioned in ABC).
- Iwamasa paid Salvador Plasencia at least $55,000 for ketamine between September and October 2023.
- Iwamasa had found Perry unresponsive at least twice before his death.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The ABC article states Iwamasa was 60 years old at sentencing, while the Guardian states he was 61 years old.
Source Articles
Matthew Perry's assistant jailed for role in Friends actor's death
Matthew Perry's live-in personal assistant, who had a central role in the Friends star's descent into ketamine addiction and injected him with the fatal dose of the drug, has been sentenced to three years and five months in prison.
Assistant who injected Matthew Perry with ketamine sentenced to over three years
Kenneth Iwamasa pleaded guilty over role in Friends actor’s death from drug overdose in 2023 Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email The personal assistant who injected Matthew Perry with ketamine several times with no medical training, including on the day the Friends actor was found dead in a hot tub at his Los Angeles residence, was sentenced to three years and five months in prison on Wednesday. Kenneth Iwamasa, 61, had pleaded guilty to distributing ketamine that resulted in death