Inside Matthew Perry’s Last Day, When Assistant Left After Giving Ketamine Shot and Returned to Find Actor Dead

On the day of his death, Matthew Perry asked his assistant to inject him with a large dose of ketamine.

Perry died on Oct. 28, 2023. At 8:30 that morning, the Friends star’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, injected him with a first dose of ketamine, according to a plea agreement Iwamasa made with the Department of Justice.

At 12:45 p.m., Iwamasa again injected Perry while the actor watched a movie in his home. According to the plea agreement, Perry asked for yet another dose 40 minutes after the second.

“Shoot me up with a big one,” Perry told his assistant, and asked him to get his hot tub ready.

The third dose was administered while Perry was either near or in his jacuzzi, according to the agreement. Iwamasa then left the home to run errands. When he returned, he found Perry dead, face down in the jacuzzi.

Iwamasa was one of five defendants charged by the justice department in connection with Perry’s death, which was the result of “acute effects” of ketamine, according to his autopsy report.

Perry’s assistant pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, having admitted to “repeatedly” injecting the actor with the drug in the days leading up to his death.

According to the plea agreement, Iwamasa injected Perry with six to eight doses of ketamine a day between Oct. 24 and 27.

Also charged in connection with the case were Jasveen Sangha — allegedly known as “The Ketamine Queen,” according to prosecutors — and Dr. Salvador Plasencia. Both have pleaded not guilty to several charges. Both are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.

Sangha is also facing one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine.

The remaining two suspects have either pleaded guilty or are expected to, say prosecutors. Erik Fleming, an associate of Perry’s, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Dr. Mark Chavez will plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, the justice department said.

United States Attorney Martin Estrada said during a press conference announcing the charges that Perry had fallen back into his addiction shortly before his death.

“These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry’s addiction issues to enrich themselves,” Estrada said.

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