Matthew Perry's assistant sentenced to 41 months in prison in the actor's death case.
'Horribly, Horribly Sorry': Matthew Perry’s Ex-Assistant Begs Family for Mercy After 41-Month Jail Term
Matthew Perry’s former assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, has been sentenced to 41 months in prison in connection to the Friends star’s tragic demise due to ketamine overdose on October 28, 2023.
According to a report by the BBC, prosecutors revealed that Iwamasa injected Perry with ketamine and had collaborated with two doctors to supply the late actor with the drug worth more than $50,000 in the weeks leading to his death.
Iwamasa assistant had no prior medical training.
The Fools Rush In actor was found lifeless in his backyard hot tub.
Iwamasa pleaded guilty in August 2024 to conspiracy to distribute ketamine, which ultimately led to Perry's death at the age of 54.
While the assistant originally faced a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, his plea agreement resulted in the shorter term.
Furthermore, he was sentenced to two years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a fine of $10,000. He is now scheduled to report to prison on July 17, 2026.
Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett highlighted the 60-year-old assistant’s awareness of Perry’s history of drug addiction, as well as his efforts to hide evidence after the actor’s death, while handing down the sentence.
'I Will Take It to My Grave'
An X user posts about Kenneth Iwamasa's sentencing.
Iwamasa expressed his apology and condolences to The Whole Nine Yards actor’s family in a Los Angeles courtroom on Wednesday, May 27.
He was reportedly heard saying, “I'm so sorry to all of you. I'm just so sorry to have done illegal acts that I will forever regret. I will take it to my grave. I hope I'll be a cautionary tale to someone who's in my position to make better choices."
Iwamasa added that he was “horribly, horribly sorry” and offered his condolences to Perry’s family.
The prosecutors reportedly sought a prison term of three years and five months for him, which the judge granted. The late actor’s assistant became the first of the five defendants to reach a plea deal in the case and was the last to be sentenced.
Internet Reacts to Kenneth Iwamasa's Sentencing
Kenneth Iwamasa was sentenced to more than 3 years in prison.
The internet reacted strongly to Iwamasa's sentencing.
One social media user wrote, “Not long enough,” while another user added on X, “This serves him right.”
An individual noted, “Another chapter closes in the Matthew Perry tragedy. Ketamine and enablers in high-pressure industries like Hollywood, how do we protect stars from substance abuse?”
“He was paid $150K a year to be Matthew’s companion and guardian against addiction yet he injected him 6-8 times a day. That’s not an assistant, that’s a paid enabler who completely betrayed his duty of care,” stated another user.
Perry’s mother and sisters sent impact letters to the judge, detailing where they stood with the assistant’s actions.
Perry's sister, Caitlin Morrison, wrote, “I have no sympathy for Kenny Iwamasa,” adding that when Iwamasa left her brother on the night he died, he was “either escaping from something he knew he had done or he was willfully abandoning a vulnerable person in a dangerous situation."
Perry’s other sister, Madeline Morrison, wrote that she feels Iwamasa is more “culpable” than ketamine dealer Jasveen Sangha in her brother’s death.
The late actor’s mother Suzanne Morrison also expressed her disgust with Iwamasa and said, “We trusted a man without a conscience, and my son paid the price.”