Kenneth Iwamasa, a former Midland resident, is among five individuals charged in connection with the ketamine overdose death of actor Matthew Perry last year. Iwamasa, 59, who served as Perry’s live-in personal assistant, is accused of obtaining ketamine through coded communication with others involved in the case. He admitted to administering several ketamine injections to Perry, including on the day of the actor’s death.
Iwamasa, a 1982 graduate of H.H. Dow High School, has a history in the entertainment industry as a talent manager in Los Angeles. He has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death and faces up to 15 years in prison.
Matthew Perry, best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the hit NBC sitcom “Friends,” died in October 2023 at the age of 54. Prosecutors allege that the individuals charged exploited Perry’s addiction issues for their own financial gain, leading to his tragic death.
Alongside Iwamasa, four others have been charged:
- Erik Fleming, 54, a friend of Perry, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine and distribution resulting in death. He allegedly obtained ketamine from another co-defendant and sold it to Iwamasa.
- Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 42, a Santa Monica doctor, is accused of facilitating drug sales using encrypted messages and coded language. He has been charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine and other related offenses.
- Jasveen Sangha, 41, known as the “Ketamine Queen,” allegedly ran a drug distribution operation in North Hollywood. She faces multiple charges, including those related to the ketamine that led to Perry’s death.
- Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine, having sold the drug to Plasencia, who then supplied Iwamasa.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada condemned the actions of the defendants, stating they “took advantage of Mr. Perry’s addiction issues to enrich themselves,” knowing the harm they were causing.
