Matthew Perry's assistant sentenced to 41 months for role in the actor's death

Kenneth Iwamasa, the personal assistant to the late actor Matthew Perry, has been sentenced to 41 months in federal prison. The sentence concludes a legal process surrounding the circumstances of Perry's death in October 2023.

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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.

Prosecutors stated that Iwamasa, 60, who lacked medical training, provided Perry with over $50,000 worth of ketamine in the weeks before the actor's death. He also administered injections of the drug to Perry. The actor was found dead in his backyard hot tub in Los Angeles. Iwamasa had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. He also received two years of supervised release and a $10,000 fine.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett considered Iwamasa's awareness of Perry's addiction struggles and his actions in concealing evidence after the actor's death. Addressing Perry's family in court, Iwamasa expressed profound remorse, stating, "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."

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I have no sympathy for Kenny Iwamasa.

Perry's family members submitted letters to the court, conveying their deep pain and their views on Iwamasa's culpability. His sister, Caitlin Morrison, wrote that she had "no sympathy" for Iwamasa, suggesting he was either escaping responsibility or abandoning a vulnerable person. Another sister, Madeline Morrison, believed Iwamasa was more culpable than others involved and that his primary role was to protect Perry from drug use. The family's letters emphasized that they had trusted Iwamasa, but he ultimately aided and abetted Perry's illegal drug use, leading to the actor's fatal overdose.

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We trusted a man without a conscience, and my son paid the price.