The personal assistant of late “Friends” actor Matthew Perry was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison on Wednesday after admitting that he injected the actor with the fatal dose of ketamine that led to his death in October 2023.
Judge Sherilyn Garnett handed down the sentence to Kenneth Iwamasa, who discovered Perry unresponsive in a hot tub at the actor’s Los Angeles home. Prosecutors said Iwamasa administered ketamine to Perry at the actor’s request before leaving the residence to run errands. When he returned, Perry had died.
During the hearing, Iwamasa apologised directly to Perry’s family and admitted regret for his actions. “I am so sorry to all of you,” he said in court. “I’m just so sorry to have done illegal acts I will forever regret.”
Meanwhile, Keith Morrison, Perry’s stepfather, criticised Iwamasa for failing to intervene as the actor’s ketamine addiction worsened. Morrison accused him of continuing to inject Perry instead of seeking medical help.
An autopsy later concluded that Perry died from the acute effects of ketamine, which caused him to lose consciousness and drown. Authorities said other contributing factors also played a role in the tragedy.
Iwamasa pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death. As part of a plea agreement, he admitted that he repeatedly injected Perry despite lacking medical training, including administering the lethal dose.
The sentence also included two years of supervised release and a $10,000 fine. Prosecutors described Iwamasa as Perry’s “enabler and drug supplier” and said he played a central role in the actor’s drug use during the months leading up to his death.
