Five individuals, including two doctors and the personal assistant of late actor Matthew Perry, have been charged in connection with his death from a ketamine overdose last year, according to U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada.
The charges highlight serious allegations involving the unlawful distribution of a controlled substance that resulted in the death of the former Friends star.
Among those charged is Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who allegedly administered several injections of ketamine to Perry on the day he died. Estrada stated that the assistant and the doctors involved exploited Perry’s struggles with addiction for financial gain.
“These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry’s addiction issues to enrich themselves. They knew their actions were illegal,” Estrada announced during a press conference.
Perry was found unresponsive in his Los Angeles home’s hot tub on October 28, 2023. Iwamasa discovered his body later that day, and paramedics pronounced the 54-year-old actor dead upon arrival.
The coroner’s report, released in December, identified ketamine as the primary cause of death, with drowning and other medical complications as contributing factors. The report confirmed that the ketamine levels in Perry’s system were consistent with those typically used for general anesthesia during surgery.
The prosecution alleges that the two doctors, identified as Perry’s psychiatrist and anesthesiologist, played a central role in supplying large quantities of ketamine to the actor.
Text messages revealed that one of the doctors discussed how much Perry might be willing to pay for the drug. Estrada indicated that the defendants attempted to cover up their involvement after Perry’s death, exchanging messages that referenced ketamine as the cause of death and conspiring to avoid detection by law enforcement.
Two of the defendants, including Iwamasa, have already pleaded guilty to related charges, while a third defendant has reached a plea agreement. The remaining individuals, including one of the doctors, have been arrested and are awaiting trial. Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Perry’s death, with assistance from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Perry, who rose to fame as Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom Friends, struggled with substance abuse for much of his career. In recent years, he had sought treatment through ketamine infusion therapy, which is sometimes used to manage chronic pain and depression. However, the medical examiner’s report indicated that Perry’s last legitimate treatment occurred more than a week before his death, and the high levels of ketamine in his blood could not be attributed to those sessions.
The charges against Perry’s assistant and medical providers underscore growing concerns about the misuse of ketamine, a powerful anesthetic that has seen increased use as an off-label treatment for various mental health conditions.
Legal experts anticipate that the case will draw significant attention to the responsibilities of healthcare providers in treating high-profile patients with histories of addiction.
As the legal proceedings move forward, the focus will remain on whether the defendants knowingly provided Perry with dangerous levels of ketamine despite the risks associated with his substance abuse history.
