Content Advisory: This article discusses addiction, overdose death, ketamine distribution, alleged evidence concealment, and criminal sentencing. Reader discretion is advised.
Federal prosecutors are making a serious new claim about Matthew Perry’s former live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, as he awaits sentencing in the ketamine case tied to the actor’s death.
According to newly filed court documents, prosecutors allege Iwamasa tried to conceal evidence after the ‘Friends’ star died. They claim he helped dispose of drug-related materials, delete records, and mislead investigators about what happened in Perry’s final hours.
The most striking detail? Prosecutors say Iwamasa later admitted during a phone call that he had “cleaned up the scene.”
Prosecutors Claim Iwamasa Hid Evidence
Court filings allege Iwamasa took several steps after Perry’s death to keep investigators from seeing the full picture.
Prosecutors claim he told another person to throw away ketamine vials and syringes. They also allege he arranged for the destruction of a ketamine prescription document and a handwritten note that reportedly linked Dr. Salvador Plasencia to the drug supply.
The filing also says Iwamasa initially misled investigators. Prosecutors claim he failed to reveal that he had given Perry multiple ketamine injections on the same day the actor died. They also allege he falsely suggested Perry had hidden ketamine containers himself.
Assistant Allegedly Said He ‘Cleaned Up The Scene’
The filing points to a phone call between Iwamasa and alleged middleman Erik Fleming.
Prosecutors claim Iwamasa admitted he had “cleaned up the scene.” That allegedly included deleting records, disposing of bottles and syringes, and changing passwords on Perry’s electronic devices.
Federal prosecutors pushed back on the idea that Iwamasa was simply following orders. They argue he violated the trust placed in him by Perry and by the actor’s family during a vulnerable period in Perry’s addiction battle.
Iwamasa has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death.
Iwamasa Seeks Leniency Before Sentencing
Iwamasa is now asking for leniency. His legal team argues he felt unable to “simply say no” when Perry requested ketamine.
In court filings, Iwamasa reportedly said the relationship dynamic led to “tragic consequences.” His attorney argued that his long employment relationship with Perry made him more vulnerable to participating in the drug conspiracy than an outsider would have been. His team also said he acted at Perry’s direction rather than through his own discretion.
Prosecutors are reportedly seeking a 41-month prison sentence.
Perry’s Mother Says Family Trusted Him
Perry’s mother, Suzanne Perry, delivered an emotional victim impact statement ahead of sentencing.
She said the family had trusted Iwamasa for more than 25 years and believed his most important job was to protect Perry during his addiction struggles. Instead, she accused him of helping enable the actor’s substance abuse.
Suzanne also criticized Iwamasa’s behavior after Perry’s death, claiming he acted “as if he was somehow the good guy who tried to save Matthew.” “We trusted Kenny,” she said, adding that her son “paid the price” for trusting “a man without a conscience.”
Iwamasa was one of five people charged in connection with Perry’s death. Several defendants have already been sentenced, including Jasveen Sangha, who received 15 years in prison, and Dr. Plasencia, who received 30 months.
For Perry’s family, the case has turned his final days into a painful courtroom account of trust, addiction, and betrayal.
