Kenneth Iwamasa, the live-in assistant of “Friends” star , has been sentenced to three years and five months in prison for his role in the actor’s ketamine-related death, closing a major chapter in the criminal investigation surrounding the actor’s death in 2023.
According to news agency AP, Iwamasa was sentenced in a federal court in Los Angeles on Wednesday after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death. Perry, best known for playing Chandler Bing in the hit sitcom “Friends”, died at the age of 54 on October 28, 2023.
“You were privy to his struggle with addiction,” Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett told the 60-year-old during sentencing. “Your conduct was reckless, not just on the day of his death but in the days leading up to his death.”
Last person to see Matthew Perry alive
Investigators said Iwamasa was constantly by Perry’s side during the actor’s final days. Prosecutors described him as an enabler who acted as a drug messenger and even administered ketamine injections to Perry.
He was also the last person to see the actor alive and later found him dead in the Jacuzzi at his home.
The sentencing marked the final judgment among the five people who pleaded guilty in the wider investigation linked to Perry’s death. Among them was alleged ketamine dealer Jasveen Sangha, often referred to by prosecutors as the “Ketamine Queen”, who received a 15-year prison sentence.
During the nearly three-hour hearing, the courtroom heard emotional statements from Perry’s family members, business associates and lawyers, many of whom blamed Iwamasa for enabling the actor’s relapse and addiction.
Courtroom debate over responsibility
Iwamasa’s lawyer Alan Eisner argued that his client was deeply loyal to Perry and acted under the influence of the actor’s authority and dependence.
“His loyalty to Mr Perry was paramount,” Eisner told the court. “He worshipped Mr Perry, he looked up to Mr Perry. All he did was please and accommodate Mr Perry.”
The defence sought a lighter sentence of six months in prison followed by six months of home confinement.
“Mr Perry was not blameless,” Eisner added. “Nobody likes to hear that.”
However, Judge Garnett pushed back strongly when the defence suggested Iwamasa had no choice in his actions.
“Unwilling. Not unable. He could have said no,” the judge said.
Family says trust was broken
Perry’s family delivered emotional statements in court, saying they believed Iwamasa had failed someone they trusted him to protect.
Perry’s stepfather, veteran “Dateline” journalist Keith Morrison, said the family had once considered Iwamasa part of their inner circle.
“We really felt that he was part of the family,” Morrison said. “We trusted him implicitly.”
Addressing Iwamasa directly, Morrison added: “You did the injections. You could have made the phone call. But you did not. Because you were living a dandy life.”
“You were in control of one of the most famous people in the world,” he said.
Perry’s longtime business manager and estate executor Lisa Ferguson delivered one of the harshest statements in court. She accused Iwamasa of isolating Perry from sober companions and medical professionals in order to maintain influence over the actor.
“What you are is the monster that killed him,” Ferguson said.
She also alleged that he had shown “not a shred of guilt or remorse” following Perry’s death.
“Matthew deserved to live,” she said. “You do not.”
Assistant apologises in court
Iwamasa turned toward Perry’s family and supporters while delivering his statement in court.
“I am horribly, horribly sorry, and I offer my condolences to you,” he said. “I am just so sorry to have done these illegal acts that I will forever regret.”
Reports said he showed little visible reaction as the sentence was announced. His father and brother were present in the courtroom.
Authorities revealed that Iwamasa initially lied to investigators and removed evidence of ketamine use after Perry’s death. However, he later cooperated with investigators after a search warrant was executed at Perry’s home in January 2024.
By August that year, he had pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges and became one of the key informants in the investigation.
Details of sentence
Judge Garnett ultimately imposed the exact prison term sought by prosecutors — 41 months behind bars. However, she stopped short of concluding that Iwamasa had abused a formal position of trust.
“There is no hard evidence that you acted with malicious intent, though some would disagree,” the judge told him.
In addition to the prison sentence, Iwamasa was ordered to pay a USD 10,000 fine and serve two years of probation. He has been directed to surrender to prison authorities on July 17.
Matthew Perry rose to global fame alongside Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow on NBC’s iconic sitcom “Friends”, which aired from 1994 to 2004. His death triggered widespread mourning among fans across the world and renewed conversations around addiction, celebrity culture and accountability.
