Court: Matthew Perry’s Assistant Bought $55K Ketamine Before His Death

At the time of Matthew Perry’s death from the acute effects of ketamine, there was uncertainty about how he managed to have the drug in his system given its shelf life, even if on medication. The answers were eventually uncovered as court documents revealed that the deceased’s assistant worked together with four others to provide Perry with the substance.

59-year-old Kenneth Iwamasa, who referred to himself as “Batman’s butler,” will be facing up to 15 years in prison for conspiring with two doctors, Mark Chavez and Salvador Plasencia, drug dealers Jasveen Sangha or “the Ketamine Queen,” and Erik Fleming.

Kenneth and the others involved were also accused of exploiting Perry due to his condition, which made him desperate for more drugs. He pleaded guilty to the count of conspiracy, while Dr. Plascencia, who taught him to administer the drug, may spend up to 120 years in prison.

The U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Martin Estrada, noted that drug dealers endanger people’s lives out of greed and should be punished. As for Sangha, who was exposed for supplying ketamine to other doctors, he will face life imprisonment if convicted of charges.

Perry’s stepdad, Keith Morrison, and his mother, Suzanne, issued a statement thanking the authorities and agencies involved in the 10-month-long investigation. They admitted to being heartbroken still but are comforted by the justice soon to be delivered.

The late sitcom star struggled with drugs for most of his adult life and was in and out of rehab while making people laugh around the globe. His co-stars tried to help but could only do so much. After portraying to the world that he was drug-free via his memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry relapsed and continued to secretly indulge until his painful demise.

Source: Variety, Everett