Kenneth Iwamasa was sentenced to 41 months for killing Matthew Perry with ketamine

Matthew Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison on Wednesday for conspiring to distribute ketamine to the actor, according to the US Attorney’s Office.

In addition to the three-year sentence, United States District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett also fined Iwamasa $10,000.

Iwamasa, 61, found and repeatedly injected Perry with ketamine, including the fatal dose that ended Perry’s life in October 2023.

Victim impact statements submitted by Perry’s sisters, Caitlin and Madeline Morrison, said Iwamasa was the man who “left her in a hot tub to die,” according to People magazine.

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“It’s hard to put into words the sense of betrayal I felt when I found out what Kenny had done,” Madeline wrote.

“In many ways, it was like my brother had died again. Everything I believed the day he died – everything Kenny told us – was a lie.”

He added, “The idea that someone my brother considers family would betray him in such an unimaginable way is something I have never imagined.”

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Madeline recalled one of the “most painful and sad experiences” of her life when choosing clothes for Perry to be buried in.

“I remember that Kenny seemed crazy and unstable. He repeatedly gave in to his version of events without being asked, as if he were being interviewed instead of a grieving friend,” he wrote.

“Friends” actor Matthew Perry died in October 2023 from side effects of ketamine, according to toxicology and autopsy reports. (Getty Images)

Matthew Perry’s assistant found photos of ketamine lozenges, some of which were obtained through fraudulent orders written by Dr. Chavez, according to the United States Attorney’s Office. (US Attorney’s Office)

“In fact, he was trying to distract us from the truth: that he had injected my brother with a lethal dose of ketamine and left him in a hot tub to die.”

Iwamasa’s presence at Perry’s funeral was equally difficult for the family to process.

“Kenny even spoke at Matthew’s funeral,” he wrote. “The person who caused my brother’s death stood up and spoke to the people who loved him the most. That’s like a cruel joke I’m still fighting. He didn’t just take my brother’s life – he tarnished our last memories of saying goodbye.”

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Perry’s mother, Suzanne, wrote, “Kenny’s most important job – by far – was to be my son’s friend and guardian in his battle against addiction. His first responsibility – making sure Matthew stayed what he wanted to be: drug free.”

“When he killed my son, he kept a close eye on me.”

Iwamasa is the fifth and final defendant to be sentenced in Perry’s death, the defendants include “Queen of Ketamine” Jasveen Sangha, Dr. Salvador Plasencia, Dr. Mark Chavez and drug dealer Erik Fleming.

Jasveen Sangha, known as the “Ketamine Queen,” was sentenced to 15 years in prison. (Jojo Korsh/BFA.com/Shutterstock)

I “Friends” star died on October 28, 2023, after drowning in a hot tub at his Pacific Palisades home, authorities confirmed to Fox News Digital at the time. He was 54 years old.

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Iwamasa bought dozens of vials of the prescription drug ketamine over a period of weeks, and was responsible for administering many of the injections on the day Perry died, according to a plea agreement he reached with the Department of Justice.

US Attorney for the Central District of California Martin Estrada said that at one point the defendants distributed “20 vials for approximately $50,000” to Perry so that Iwamasa could distribute the drug to the actor.

During another sale, the dealers “used Mr. Perry” by selling approximately “50 vials of ketamine for approximately $11,000.”

Dr. Mark Chavez surrendered his medical license in November 2024. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP)

Dr. Salvador Plasencia granted his medical license in September 2025. (Robyn Beck/AFP)

Iwamasa used multiple sources to secure the drug from Perry, and purchased more than $55,000 worth of ketamine in the month leading up to Perry’s death by excess at his home in October 2023.

Perry was introduced to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, the source of ketamine, is Iwamasa. Placencia, who received ketamine from Dr. Mark Chavez, allegedly taught an assistant how to inject Perry with ketamine. Chavez previously ran a ketamine clinic and allegedly submitted a forged document in the name of a former patient to protect the drug.

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Beginning on September 30, Placencia met and injected Perry with “about two shots of ketamine” at his home down the street. Pacific Palisades. He then gave Iwamasa instructions on “where to do the injections” in Perry’s body before leaving one bottle of ketamine “with some liquid left in it.” Iwamasa paid Placencia approximately $4,500.

In all communications, Iwamasa and the defendants allegedly used code words to describe drugs, including “Dr Pepper,” “cans,” “bots” or “bottles.”

Matthew Perry’s mother Suzanne Morrison said Iwamasa has one responsibility: to keep the actor “drug free.” (Damian Dovarganes/AP)

On October 10, Plasencia met Iwamasa in a Long Beach parking lot, and injected Perry with ketamine while he sat in the back seat of the car. Two days later, Perry visited a ketamine clinic at the doctor’s office before returning to his home where Placencia administered another “large dose” of the sedative.

Placencia said Perry had a medical problem, which pooled his blood and caused his body to “freeze” so Perry could neither move nor speak. He allegedly told Iwamasa, “Let’s not do that again,” before leaving more vials of ketamine with Iwamasa.

The day before Perry’s death, Plasencia is said to have texted Iwamasa, “Hi, I know you’ve been talking about taking a break. I’ve been saving up. I’m not sure when you plan to resume, but if I’m out of town this weekend, I’ll leave the supplies with my nurse.”

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Iwamasa injected Perry six to eight times a day between October 24 and October 27, authorities said. He pleaded guilty on August 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causes death.