Matthew Perry’s Assistant Sentenced for Injecting Actor With Fatal Ketamine Dose

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Kenneth Iwamasa received a prison sentence of just under three and a half years for his involvement in Matthew Perry’s death. As Perry’s personal assistant, Iwamasa gave him three doses of ketamine on October 23, 2023, which ultimately proved fatal. He was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. While Iwamasa was the last person sentenced in connection with Perry’s death, he was the first to accept a plea deal. Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett stated, according to Deadline, that there wasn’t clear proof Iwamasa intended to cause harm, though some may see it differently.

Jasveen Sangha, nicknamed the “Ketamine Queen,” received a 15-year sentence in April for providing the ketamine that led to Perry’s death. She and Erik Fleming, a director at a Bel-Air treatment center, sold the actor 51 vials of the drug, which was then administered by Iwamasa at Perry’s request. Iwamasa claims Perry’s final words were a request for a large dose—”shoot me up with a big one”—just before entering the hot tub where he was discovered deceased.

There was disagreement in Hollywood about whether Perry’s assistant, Iwamasa, should be held responsible for the actor’s death, given the power dynamic between them. An article in Vanity Fair in September 2024 suggested assistants often have to follow their employers’ instructions, even if they feel uncomfortable. However, Judge Garnett didn’t agree. She believed Iwamasa, who had been friends with Perry since 1992 and his live-in assistant since 2022, had ample opportunity to help. She stated his actions were “reckless,” not only on the day Perry died, but in the days before as well.

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2026-05-28 03:54