Matthew Perry's assistant Kenneth Iwamasa sentenced to 41 months in Los Angeles

Kenneth Iwamasa, personal assistant to the late actor Matthew Perry, has been sentenced to 41 months in prison for his role in the Friends star's death. Iwamasa pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. Perry died in October 2023 from acute ketamine effects.

Kenneth Iwamasa, the personal assistant of actor Matthew Perry, has been sentenced to 41 months in federal prison in Los Angeles following his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death — a charge directly linked to the fatal overdose of the beloved Friends star.

Iwamasa admitted to his role in supplying Perry with the powerful anaesthetic that ultimately took the actor's life. Perry, best known for playing Chandler Bing in the long-running sitcom Friends, was found unresponsive in his home in October 2023. Authorities determined that acute ketamine intoxication was the cause of death.

The sentencing marks a significant moment in a wider criminal case that has implicated multiple individuals in a network that allegedly kept Perry supplied with ketamine. Iwamasa's cooperation and guilty plea were key elements in prosecutors building their case against others connected to the actor's death.

Perry struggled publicly with addiction throughout much of his adult life, a battle he discussed candidly in his 2022 memoir. His death prompted widespread mourning among fans worldwide and renewed public debate about the responsibilities of those who enable substance abuse among vulnerable individuals.