Kenneth Iwamasa, the late actor Matthew Perry’s personal assistant, pleaded guilty in August 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 27 and could face up to 15 years in prison, with prosecutors recommending 41 months behind bars plus three years of supervised release.
Perry, beloved for his role on Friends, tragically died at age 54 on October 28, 2023. The cause of death was ruled “acute effects of ketamine.” According to the Department of Justice, Iwamasa repeatedly injected Perry with ketamine despite having no medical training, including multiple injections on the day of his death. Court documents reveal that on that day, Perry instructed Iwamasa to “Shoot me up with a big one” and to prepare his hot tub. When Iwamasa ran errands and returned, he found Perry face down in the water.
Ahead of Iwamasa’s sentencing, Perry’s mother, Suzanne Morrison, shared a heartbreaking victim impact statement. She said her family had trusted Iwamasa to understand Perry’s struggles with addiction and to serve as his companion and guardian in staying drug-free. “But instead of protecting Matthew, he aided and abetted illegal drug taking, arranged for one source of supply, then another,” Morrison wrote. “Shot the drugs into Matthew’s body, though he was not in the least qualified. He did it even though anyone could see it was obviously dangerous. And he did it again and again.”
Morrison also described Iwamasa’s disturbing behavior after Perry’s death, saying he “kept a sharp eye” on her, sent her songs, drew maps to the cemetery, and even called when he saw rainbows—one of Matthew’s favorite things. She accused him of trying to present himself as a hero at Perry’s funeral and of threatening legal action to extract a settlement from workers’ compensation. “We trusted a man without a conscience, and my son paid the price,” she wrote. She described the moment she found Perry’s body: “And then one night he was just a body, lying all but naked on the cold, damp grass of his backyard. Helicopters circled overhead, eager for a glimpse of my dead little boy, a picture they could show the whole world while I stood out on the street in the cold and begged for a blanket to cover him. Impossible, of course.” Morrison thanked investigators for their work but said closure is impossible. “Ask any mother whose child has been torn away so mercilessly. Nothing takes this pain away, nor will it, I am sure, for as long as I live.”
Iwamasa was one of five people charged in connection with Perry’s death. He allegedly conspired with Jasveen Sangha, Erik Fleming, and Dr. Salvador Plasencia to illegally obtain and distribute ketamine to Perry. Sangha was sentenced to 15 years in prison in April after pleading guilty to multiple ketamine charges. Fleming, a TV director and former acquaintance of Perry, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine in August 2024 and received 24 months in federal prison plus three years of supervised release in May. Plasencia pleaded guilty in June 2025 to four counts of ketamine distribution and was sentenced to 30 months in December. Dr. Mark Chavez, who also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine, received 8 months of house arrest, three years of supervised release, and 300 hours of community service.
As Iwamasa awaits sentencing, the tragic consequences of drug misuse and the betrayal of someone trusted to protect Perry remain painfully clear. His family continues to grieve, underscoring the lasting impact of his loss and the devastating ripple effects of those involved in his death.
