Kenneth Iwamasa, 61, of Toluca Lake, California, was sentenced on May 27, 2026 to 41 months in federal prison for his role in the 2023 death of actor Matthew Perry. United States District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett handed down the sentence and also fined Iwamasa $10,000. He is the fifth and final person to be sentenced in connection with Perry’s death.
Who is Kenneth Iwamasa?
Iwamasa knew Perry since 1992 and became his live-in personal assistant in 2022. In that role, he was paid $150,000 per year. His responsibilities were looking after Perry’s medical care.
Iwamasa is not medical professional and has no expertise or training in that field. He was also aware of Perry’s long history of drug addiction. Prosecutors stated in their sentencing position that rather than help Perry maintain sobriety, Iwamasa became his enabler and drug supplier.
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What Iwamasa did
In September 2023, and continuing until Perry’s death on October 28, 2023, Iwamasa conspired with multiple people, including physician Salvador Plasencia, known as “Dr. P,” and drug counselor Erik Fleming, to knowingly and intentionally distribute ketamine to Perry.
Plasencia distributed 20 vials and multiple tablets of ketamine and syringes to Iwamasa and taught Iwamasa how to inject ketamine into Perry, knowing the transfers were not for a legitimate medical purpose. Plasencia charged a total of $57,000 for these efforts, even though the going market price of ketamine was approximately $15 per vial.
Iwamasa witnessed Plasencia inject Perry with a large dose of ketamine that caused the actor to “freeze up” and be unable to move or speak. Despite Plasencia stating, “Let’s not do that again,” Iwamasa had already begun arranging for cheaper, steady supply of ketamine from Fleming.
In October 2023, Iwamasa purchased 51 vials of ketamine from Fleming over course of 11 days. Fleming obtained the ketamine from his drug source, Jasveen Sangha, known as the “Ketamine Queen,” of North Hollywood.
The day of Perry’s death
Leading up to Perry’s death, Iwamasa repeatedly injected Perry with ketamine that Sangha had supplied to Fleming. During this period, Iwamasa witnessed Perry’s increasing addiction to ketamine. He found Perry unconscious at his residence on at least two occasions and witnessed an immediate adverse reaction following a ketamine injection where Perry froze up and was unable to talk or move.
On October 28 of 2023, Iwamasa injected Perry at least three shots of ketamine dosage. It then caused Perry’s death.
After calling 911, Iwamasa was questioned by Los Angeles Police officers. When asked about what medications Perry was taking, Iwamasa provided a list of treating doctors and prescribed medications but intentionally omitted ketamine. He also provided chronology of events that concealed ketamine injections he had administered to Perry. That included third shot administered just hours before Perry’s death.
Iwamasa also took steps to remove and destroy evidence related to Perry’s ketamine use. After doing so, he contacted Fleming and told him he had cleaned up the scene, including the ketamine bottles and syringes, and that he had “deleted everything.”
What the judge said
Judge Garnett told Iwamasa before handing down the sentence, “You were privy to his struggle with addiction. Your conduct was reckless, not just on the day of his death but in the days leading up to his death.”
After hearing the sentence, Iwamasa apologised to Perry’s family in the courtroom, saying, “I’m so sorry to all of you. You all know how much Matthew loved you.”
The other defendants
Iwamasa’s sentencing closes the prosecution of five people who all pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with Perry’s death.
Sangha, Plasencia, and Fleming are serving federal prison sentences of 15 years, 2.5 years, and two years respectively, after pleading guilty to federal narcotics charges.
Mark Chavez, 55, a former San Diego physician, was ordered to serve eight months of home detention, 300 hours of community service, and three years of probation. He pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Chavez operated a ketamine clinic and sold the drug to Plasencia, who then distributed it to Perry. Chavez surrendered his medical license in November 2024. Plasencia surrendered his in September 2025.
Background
Matthew Perry, who rose to global fame playing Chandler Bing on NBC sitcom ‘Friends’, was found dead at his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023. Los Angeles Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.