In a Los Angeles courtroom this afternoon, Kenneth Iwamasa, the personal assistant to late actor Matthew Perry, was sentenced to six months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. The sentence, handed down by Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald, comes after Iwamasa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, the drug that killed Perry last October.
Sources confirm that Iwamasa admitted to administering multiple doses of ketamine to Perry on the day of his death, including one just hours before the actor was found unresponsive in his hot tub. The court heard that Iwamasa, 59, acted under the direction of two doctors who have also been charged in connection with the overdose.
Prosecutors argued that Iwamasa’s role was not merely that of an obedient employee but a knowing participant in a dangerous scheme. “He knew the risks. He saw the effects. He kept injecting,” Assistant US Attorney Samantha Peters told the court. “This was not a tragedy. This was a crime.”
Defence attorney Mark Bixby painted a different picture, describing Iwamasa as a devoted assistant who was manipulated by a powerful celebrity and two unscrupulous physicians. “Ken was not a kingpin. He was a pawn. He did what he was told, and he is drowning in guilt,” Bixby said, his voice cracking.
Perry, 54, had struggled with addiction for decades. He was found dead in the pool of his Pacific Palisades home on 28 October 2023. An autopsy later revealed acute effects of ketamine, a dissociative anaesthetic used increasingly for depression treatment. The medical examiner ruled the death an accident, but the criminal investigation widened to include a network of suppliers.
Iwamasa is the first of five defendants to be sentenced. Dr Salvador Plasencia, known as “Dr P”, and Dr Mark Chavez, who allegedly supplied the ketamine without a legitimate medical purpose, are scheduled for trial next year. Jasveen Sangha, a woman prosecutors call the “Ketamine Queen”, faces charges of drug trafficking resulting in death. A fourth defendant, Erik Fleming, has also pleaded guilty.
District attorney Frederic Shano called the sentence “a measure of accountability” but warned that the investigation was far from over. “We are following the drugs, the money, and the power. This case reaches higher than any of us imagined.”
Outside the courthouse, Perry’s family released a statement. “Matthew was failed by those who claimed to care for him. Today, justice took a small step. But no sentence can bring back our son, our brother.”
The courtroom was packed. Friends of Perry sat alongside a handful of fans who had gathered since dawn. Iwamasa, dressed in a grey suit, showed no visible emotion as the sentence was read. He will report to federal prison on 15 December.
Uncovered documents reviewed by this journalist show text messages between Iwamasa and Plasencia in which they discussed Perry’s tolerance for ketamine and joked about his “high threshold”. In one exchange, Plasencia wrote: “Let’s see how much he can take.” The messages were entered into evidence.
This developing story raises uncomfortable questions about celebrity, access, and the enablers who operate in the shadows. As the trial dates for the remaining defendants approach, one thing is clear: the money kept flowing, the drugs kept coming, and a man died.
More to follow.
