“Friends” Actor Matthew Perry Ketamine Supplier Jailed for Two Years

Mintesinot Niggusie

A US federal court on Wednesday sentenced Erik Fleming to two years in prison for his role in supplying ketamine linked to the overdose death of actor Matthew Perry in 2023. Fleming had previously pleaded guilty in August 2024 to conspiracy to distribute ketamine.

Prosecutors said Fleming, a former licensed drug addiction counsellor, obtained vials of ketamine from a dealer and supplied them to Perry’s live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa. Authorities said Iwamasa then injected Perry with a dose that proved fatal.

Medical examiners concluded that Perry died from the acute effects of ketamine, combined with other contributing factors, which caused him to lose consciousness and drown in his hot tub in October 2023. He was 54.

Alongside the prison term, US District Judge Sherilyn Garnett imposed three years of supervised probation. Fleming is the fourth of five individuals to be sentenced in connection with Perry’s death, who had spoken publicly about long-standing substance abuse issues.

Perry was widely known for his role as Chandler Bing in the sitcom “Friends,” a performance that earned him worldwide acclaim during the peak of his career.