Matthew Perry, beloved by millions for his role as Chandler Bing on Friends, passed away on October 28, 2023, from the acute effects of ketamine. More than a year later, the legal aftermath continues to unfold. His former live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, now stands as the last person facing sentencing in connection with the actor’s death — and federal prosecutors are not holding back.
Prosecutors Push for a Lengthy Prison Sentence
According to a sentencing memo obtained by TMZ, federal prosecutors are recommending a 41-month prison term for Kenneth Iwamasa, which translates to roughly three and a half years behind bars. On top of that, they are asking for three years of supervised release once he completes his sentence. If the court agrees, Iwamasa will be the longest-sentenced individual in a case that has already seen multiple convictions.
The severity of the recommendation reflects the government’s view that Iwamasa played a hands-on, critical role in the events leading to Perry’s death. Prosecutors argue that his position as the actor’s live-in assistant gave him a unique level of responsibility — and that he exploited that proximity in devastating ways.
Allegations of Direct Drug Involvement
The prosecution’s case against Iwamasa paints a troubling picture. Court documents allege that he was not merely a bystander to Perry’s struggles with addiction but an active participant. Prosecutors say Iwamasa helped the actor obtain ketamine, injected him with the drug on multiple occasions, and ultimately administered the dose that proved fatal on the night of October 28, 2023.
Perhaps most striking is the claim that Iwamasa was, in the words of the prosecution, “the only person to see clear warning signs” that Perry was in serious danger. According to court filings, the assistant found the actor unconscious in his home on two separate occasions in the month before his death. Rather than seeking emergency help or escalating the situation, prosecutors allege that Iwamasa continued to facilitate Perry’s drug use.
Authorities also say that Iwamasa did not act alone. He allegedly coordinated with Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a physician who has already been sentenced in the case, and Erik Fleming, a middleman who served as a ketamine supplier and has also completed his sentence. Prosecutors contend that Plasencia personally showed Iwamasa how and where to inject Perry, creating a chain of culpability that stretched from a medical professional to the actor’s own living room.
Claims of Evidence Destruction
One of the most damning aspects of the case involves what happened after Perry’s death. Prosecutors allege that in the days following the actor’s passing, Iwamasa took deliberate steps to conceal evidence of ketamine use in the home. According to the government’s memo, he removed and discarded both used and unused vials of the drug. In communications with Erik Fleming, he reportedly stated that he had “deleted everything” — a phrase prosecutors interpret as an admission of intentional evidence tampering.
These alleged actions, the government argues, demonstrate consciousness of guilt and a desire to shield himself and others from accountability. The destruction of potential physical evidence made it more difficult for investigators to piece together the full timeline of Perry’s final days, and prosecutors have characterized this behavior as a serious aggravating factor in their push for a substantial sentence.
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