Matthew Perry’s assistant Kenneth Iwamasa and four others (including two doctors) have been charged in connection with Perry’s death. The five have been charged for their roles in supplying Perry with large amounts of ketamine, causing his October 2023 overdose death. {"@context":"https://schema.
org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Matthew Perry’s untimely death was met with horror by his Friends cast mates last October. Photo: Invision/AP","url":"https://img.i-scmp.
com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/08/16/af402c93-c82b-4efc-ac39-41870ab1758a_595de0ff.jpg"} Matthew Perry’s untimely death was met with horror by his Friends cast mates last October. Photo: Invision/AP “These defendants took advantage of Mr Perry’s addiction issues to enrich themselves.
They knew what they were doing was wrong,” US lawyer Martin Estrada said Thursday while announcing the charges. Perry, who was 54, died in October due to a ketamine overdose and prosecutors said he received several injections on the day he died from his live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who found Perry dead later that day and was the first to talk to investigators. Here’s everything we know about Kenneth Iwamasa.
Kenneth Iwamasa is a talent manager {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Kenneth Iwamasa was employed by Doug Chapin Management. Photo: Kenny Iwamasa/LinkedIn","url":"https://img.
i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/08/16/df9da5ae-33b5-4d24-84de-341c8e3a1bea_a8dbbb78.jpg"} Kenneth Iwamasa was employed by Doug Chapin Management.
Photo: Kenny Iwamasa/LinkedIn According to his LinkedIn profile, Iwamasa studied photography and environmental design at university before doing a one year course in cinematography and film production at Columbia College Hollywood. He then went on to be a talent manager and executive assistant to various Hollywood personalities for over 30 years for Doug Chapin Management. His bio reads: “I thrive in chaotic situations which call for order.
I am discreet, loyal and honour absolute confidentiality.” He had been working for Matthew Perry for over two decades {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Matthew Perry was found with excessive amounts of ketamine in his body when he died.
Photo: Getty Images/TNS","url":"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/08/16/9993a19c-dc76-4cd7-9310-f76d11555955_9cf1bfc6.
jpg"} Matthew Perry was found with excessive amounts of ketamine in his body when he died. Photo: Getty Images/TNS Iwamasa had been overseeing Perry’s career for more than 25 years, according to his LinkedIn page. The 59-year-old had reportedly been living with Perry for several months before the actor’s untimely death, according to UK media.
He was also Angela Bassett’s assistant {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Avengers and Black Panther actress Angela Bassett knows Kenneth Iwamasa well: he was her assistant for nine years. Photo: @im.
angelabassett/Instagram","url":"https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/08/16/57a23dea-cb0e-48ab-8ba7-5f665e06b83d_7390c88c.
jpg"} Avengers and Black Panther actress Angela Bassett knows Kenneth Iwamasa well: he was her assistant for nine years. Photo: @im.angelabassett/Instagram Throughout his long career at Doug Chapin Management, Iwamasa worked with several Hollywood celebrities, including Black Panther star Angela Bassett for nine years.
He has pleaded guilty {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Matthew Perry at the GQ Men of the Year Party in 2022 in West Hollywood. Photo: Getty Images for GQ/TNS","url":"https://img.
i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/08/16/b889824c-d55f-4c7a-a62e-8f24cf592125_595de0ff.jpg"} Matthew Perry at the GQ Men of the Year Party in 2022 in West Hollywood.
Photo: Getty Images for GQ/TNS Iwamasa reportedly communicated in coded language with the others charged in connection with Perry’s death to obtain ketamine, authorities said. He has admitted to administering several ketamine injections to Perry including on the day he died despite having no medical training or knowledge about administering controlled substances. He has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, according to the Associated Press.
Five people have now been charged in connection with Friends star Matthew Perry’s death late last year – including his 59-year-old live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa Iwamasa is a veteran in the talent management industry, and was also an assistant to Black Panther actress Angela Bassett, among others.
