Matthew Perry’s personal assistant has pleaded guilty to charges in connection with the actor’s death.
The ‘Friends’ star died in October 2023, aged 54, from the acute effects of ketamine, and Kenneth Iwamasa, the actor’s live-in personal assistant, has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death.
The Department of Justice has accused Iwamasa of “repeatedly” injecting the actor with ketamine “without medical training”, including on the day that Perry passed away.
Iwamasa is one of five defendants charged with offences related to the actor’s death, which also includes Jasveen Sangha and Dr. Salvador Plascencia.
Sangha – who is also known as The Ketamine Queen – has been charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises.
What’s more, Sangha is facing one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine.
Plascencia, meanwhile, has been charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
Elsewhere, Mark Chavez, another doctor, has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
Erik Fleming has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death.
Fleming and Iwamasa are potentially facing 15 to 25 years in prison, while Chavez faces up to a decade in prison.
Sangha could face a possible life sentence.
Perry – who was best known for playing Chandler Bing on ‘Friends’ – died due to the “acute effects of ketamine”.
An autopsy report also listed drowning, coronary artery disease and buprenorphine effects as contributing factors in the his death.