Prosecutors accuse Matthew Perry’s assistant of playing key role in overdose case
New court filings reveal how Matthew Perry’s assistant allegedly became deeply involved in the actor’s ketamine use before his fatal overdose. Here’s what prosecutors and Perry’s family said.
Nearly three years after Matthew Perry’s death from a ketamine overdose, fresh court filings have shed harsh light on the role allegedly played by his live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa. Prosecutors claim that the person Perry trusted most not only helped him obtain the drug but also gave the actor the dose that ultimately proved fatal.
Iwamasa, who reportedly earned US$150,000 a year as Perry’s assistant, is now scheduled to be sentenced after becoming the first person to sign a plea agreement in connection with the actor’s death. Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of three years and five months after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine, resulting in death.
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What role did Kenneth Iwamasa allegedly play?
According to prosecutors, Iwamasa’s responsibilities went far beyond that of a personal assistant. Court documents allege he acted as a middleman in obtaining ketamine, learned to inject the drug from a doctor and gave Perry multiple injections in the days leading up to her death.
Investigators say Perry was given six to eight ketamine injections daily during his final days. On October 28, 2023, the day the actor died, Iwamasa reportedly injected Perry before leaving home for work. He later returned to find the actor unconscious in the Jacuzzi.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner listed ketamine as the primary cause of death, while drowning was listed as a secondary factor.
Why is Iwamasa’s testimony so important?
Iwamasa has emerged as a key witness in the broader criminal case involving four other defendants. Prosecutors say he initially failed to disclose Perry’s ketamine use to police and only admitted his involvement after investigators searched Perry’s home in January 2024.
Court records also link him to alleged drug supplier Jasveen Sangha and middleman Eric Fleming, who have already been sentenced to two years in jail.
Because of his cooperation, legal experts expect Iwamasa to receive a lighter sentence than some of the others charged in the case.
How has Matthew Perry’s family reacted?
Perry’s family expressed deep anger and sorrow in letters submitted to the court. His mother Suzanne Morrison said the family relied on Iwamasa to protect the actor during his battle with addiction.
His sister Caitlin Morrison accused him of leaving a vulnerable person in a dangerous situation, while another sister, Madeline Morrison, described his attendance at Perry’s funeral as “a cruel joke”.
Perry, best known for playing Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom Friends, has died at the age of 54.
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