Prison sentence for Matthew Perry's personal assistant who injected ketamine

©picture alliance / NurPhoto | Niharika Kulkarni

On October 28, 2023, the world of entertainment fans stood still for a moment. News came about that world-famous American actor Matthew Perry had died suddenly at the age of 54. The death of the Friends icon left a huge void. However, his intense drug use was no secret during the years before his death and the way he passed away is particularly painful for his fans.

Perry, legendary as "Chandler Bing", was found lifeless in the Jacuzzi of his Los Angeles home. Matthew Perry was receiving ketamine infusion therapy to treat depression and anxiety a week and a half before his death. The amount of ketamine in his blood was equivalent to a dose for a full surgical anesthetic. The autopsy report concluded that it was an accident, not a crime. The report added that drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of opioid buprenorphine had contributed to the death. Perry was found floating face down in the Jacuzzi.

It was announced this week that actor Matthew Perry's assistant, who gave him the dose of ketamine from which he eventually died, has been sentenced to 41 months in prison. Kenneth Iwamasa, who lived with Perry, had already pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death in 2024. Iwamasa later admitted that he injected at least 27 doses of ketamine into the actor during the days before his death, including at least three on the day of his death. According to prosecutors, Iwamasa had spent tens of thousands of dollars on dozens of ampules of ketamine for Perry over a period of several weeks. According to the autopsy report, the actor died from the "acute effects" of ketamine.

Prosecutors made it clear that Iwamasa ignored serious warning signs. After all, he had found Perry unconscious in his home no less than twice and had seen the actor completely stiffen and unable to speak after a large ketamine injection. Nevertheless, he continued to prescribe the medication. Iwamasa "abused his position of trust," prosecutors said.

The assistant is the last of five accused in the case to hear his sentence. He faces 41 months in prison, including two years on probation, and must pay a $10,000 fine.

Two weeks ago, 56-year-old Erik Fleming, a licensed addiction counselor who supplied ketamine to Iwamasa, received 2 years in prison. Last month, 45-year-old Jasveen Sangha - dubbed "the ketamine queen" by prosecutors - was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Sangha is the drug dealer who ran the criminal network that supplied ketamine to the Friends actor.

©picture alliance / NurPhoto | Niharika Kulkarni - The photo shows young fans taking a portrait to commemorate their favorite character on the street.