Actor’s former assistant sentenced to 41 months
Matthew Perry’s former live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, was sentenced Wednesday to three years and five months in prison for his role in the actor's overdose death.
He was also fined $10,000.actor died, according to the plea agreement. The agreement also says Iwamasa found Perry unconscious at least twice in October 2023. Perry died in October 2023 in his Pacific Palisades home. The L.A.
County medical examiner determined the cause was “acute effects of ketamine. ” According to the plea agreement, Sangha worked with alleged drug dealer Erik Fleming to distribute ketamine to Perry. On Oct. 28, 2023, Perry's personal assistant injected the actor with at least three shots of ketamine provided by Sangha. Iwamasa is the fifth person sentenced in Perry’s overdose death.
For their roles in Perry’s death, San Diego physicianMayor Karen Bass speaks at Liberty Park in Koreatown on Tuesday, May 26, while promoting upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup watch parties. The three watch parties are scheduled for June 11 and June 24 at Liberty Park and June 18 at Seoul International Park, which organizers expect to draw thousands of attendees. As excitement builds around the World Cup, concerns remain about possible federal immigration enforcement during the international event.
The three watch parties are scheduled for June 11 and June 24 at Liberty Park and June 18 at Seoul International Park, which organizers expect to draw thousands of attendees. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass attempted to reassure any concerns about federal raids Tuesday while promoting the watch parties.
“I want folks to know that the World Cup is going to be peaceful,” Bass said during a press conference at Liberty Park. “With this administration, I can tell you the best that I know at this hour. So with that in mind, I do not believe that ICE will be at any of the watch parties. ” Bass could not give a firm guarantee that immigration enforcement would not take place during the tournament.
At a media roundtable on Thursday, Bass said federal law enforcement would have a visible presence around World Cup events and venues.
“The events will be safe, because these are international events. And so it’s not just going to be LAPD, it’s going to be a lot of other local law enforcement agencies as well as federal support,” she said.
“So in some instances, especially near the venues, you will have federal presence, not ICE, probably the National Guard, but they will be here. ” Bass said she feels confident there will not be ICE raids during the World Cup matches in Los Angeles, because President Donald Trump and his administration do not want the games to project chaos on the international stage.
“I think during these games … the last concern will be security, because you’ll see an overwhelming force of security. We just have to get our people to not be fearful that there will be ICE raids that happen,” she said about the World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics.
“He doesn’t want the world to see chaos on our streets. He really doesn’t. And that’s why I feel confident that we will not have ICE raids,” she said about Trump. Bass added Tuesday that she believes ICE would be present in Inglewood during the World Cup to “look for people who might be on the no-fly list.
”Viewing parties for South Korea’s June 11 opener against the Czech Republic and its June 24 match against South Africa will be held at Liberty Park in Koreatown, with programming beginning at 2 p.m. for both events. The June 18 match against Mexico will take place at Seoul International Park and is expected to draw the largest crowds.
Organizers say programming for that event will begin at 10 a.m. and continue throughout the day, with the match livestream beginning at 6 p.m. Each event will feature large outdoor viewing areas with giant LED screens, live cheering squads and a main stage with K-pop performances, taekwondo demonstrations, traditional Korean performances, ballet and other entertainment throughout the day. Organizers are also planning mini soccer games, face painting, photo booths and other family-friendly activities.
Food trucks and vendors will line the festival grounds, and a separate senior area is being planned so older attendees can participate safely alongside younger fans. Young-wan Kim, consul general of South Korea in Los Angeles, said the World Cup carries deep emotional significance for many in the community because of memories from South Korea’s historic 2002 World Cup run.
“It’s an opportunity for us to demonstrate our strengths and our unity and our solidarity,” Kim said. “I hope our celebration of unity goes beyond our community, bringing all races, all people with different backgrounds together. ” Viewing party organizers are working with the Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Fire Department, private security teams, medical staff and city officials to prepare for the large crowds, said Duha Hwang with marketing agency and organizer Advue.
He added that organizers already have insurance coverage and safety measures in place for the events. The watch parties are being organized by the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles, the L.A. Korean Festival Foundation, the Korean American Chamber of Commerce and more groups. The first 1,000 attendees at each match will receive free “Red Devils” shirts and cheering items.
The “Red Devils,” the official supporters group for South Korea’s national soccer team, became a defining image of the 2002 World Cup, when massive crowds dressed in red packed streets across the country to cheer on the team during its historic run to the semifinals — still the furthest an Asian men’s national team has ever advanced in the tournament. Published May 27, 2026 9:48 AMThe Los Angeles City Council has officially delayed minimum wage increases for tourism workers.
The council made the final vote Tuesday, pushing back a boost to $30 an hour for airport and hotel workers from 2028 to 2030. The controversial move comes after L.A. faced major pressure from business interests, which had gathered enough signatures to put a measure on the November ballot to repeal the business tax. That effort could have financially ruined the city if it passed.
After the City Council voted to delay the wage from the November ballot, the leaders behind that ballot measure withdrew it.for tourism workers. The council made the final vote Tuesday, pushing back a boost to $30 an hour for airport and hotel workers from 2028 to 2030. The controversial move comes after L.A. faced major pressure from business interests, which had gathered enough signatures to put a measure on the November ballot to repeal the business tax.
That effort could have financially ruined the city if it passed. After the City Council voted to delay the wage from the November ballot, the leaders behind that ballot measure withdrew it. It's a maneuver hotel workers have called a"shakedown.
" Originally celebrated as an"Olympic Wage," the $30 minimum was pegged to the arrival of the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. But a battle to upend it started as soon as the City Council passed it last year.
" I would expect my councilmember to stand up for working Angelenos, not help giant companies take money out of our pockets," Jordan Long, a bartender at LAX, said at a recent council meeting. Stuart Waldman with the Valley Industry & Commerce Association told LAist that business groups decided to advance their ballot measure after unions wouldn't broker a deal with them directly. Keep up with LAist. If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report.
Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less. The Trump administration has mass-deleted information about prosecutions tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, including cases of defendants who assaulted police officers. The removals mark the latest phase of President Trump's effort to rewrite the history of the violent riot.
Justice Department news releases that detailed guilty pleas, jury verdicts and prison sentences abruptly disappeared from government websites last week. A review by NPR found that the deleted material included information about some of the most serious assaults on law enforcement that occurred that day. The Trump administration has mass-deleted information about prosecutions tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, including cases of defendants who assaulted police officers.
The removals mark the latest phase of President Donald Trump's effort to rewrite the history of the violent riot. Justice Department news releases that detailed guilty pleas, jury verdicts and prison sentences abruptly disappeared from government websites last week. , saying,"We are proud to reverse the DOJ's weaponization under the Biden administration. We will do everything in our power to make whole those who were persecuted for political purposes.
This includes stripping DOJ's website of partisan propaganda.
" A review by NPR found that the deleted material included information about some of the most serious assaults on law enforcement that occurred that day. , who pleaded guilty to driving an electroshock device into the neck of former Washington, D.C. , Metropolitan Police Department officer Michael Fanone, and who was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison.
, who pleaded guilty to assaulting police and grabbing Fanone by the neck and pulling him into the mob of rioters while yelling,"I got one!
" Head was sentenced to more than seven years in prison. , who was convicted by a jury of assaulting law enforcement with a metal flagpole, tackling a police officer to the ground and trying to remove the officer's gas mask. Webster was sentenced to 10 years in prison. , who was convicted by a jury of assaulting police with a wooden pallet and carrying a loaded handgun on Capitol grounds.
Alberts was sentenced to seven years in prison. , who was convicted by a jury of assaulting police officers with pepper spray and throwing a metal chair at law enforcement. Schwartz was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
The mass deletion of government information about the riot, in which a mob of Trump supporters injured 140 police officers and threatened the lives of members of Congress and then-Vice President Mike Pence, follows a broader effort by the Trump administration to whitewash the attack.hired a former riot defendant who was seen on video urging the mob to"kill" police. The administration settled a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the estate of rioter Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed while storming the Capitol, for nearly $5 million.
On the fifth anniversary of the riot, the White House created a website that distorts that day's events, describing the rioters as"patriots" and blaming police for causing"chaos.
" And just last week, the administration announced aWhen speaking about the attack, Trump consistently describes his supporters as victims rather than perpetrators of violence. Police officers who were violently assaulted on Jan. 6 have described suffering lifelong physical and psychological injuries.
"I have been sentenced to a lifetime of medical issues that include physical pain and mental and emotional distress," former Capitol Police Sgt. Federico Ruiz said in a.
"There is not a day that goes by that pain, discomfort, and/or a mental health issue do not flare up to remind me of that day. " Brendan Ballou, a former federal prosecutor who worked on Jan. 6 cases, told NPR in a recent interview that the administration's effort to flip the story of the riot is part of a broader effort to attack democratic institutions.
"It's clear there is an ongoing fight to rewrite the history of Jan. 6, because these people know if they can successfully get people to forget about Jan. 6 — or worse yet, condone it — then they will be able to convince people to accept any attack on democracy," said Ballou. Ballou currently represents two police officers who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6 and are suing to prevent payouts from the Anti-Weaponization Fund.
The searchable database covers all the nearly 1,600 criminal cases, including charges, convictions and sentencing outcomes. The archive also includes a timeline of the day's events and makes accessible hundreds of videos from police body cameras, Capitol surveillance footage and other sources. NPR is currently taking legal action to obtain additional video evidence held by the government, which has not been previously disclosed.
Nader Adeli a group of Iranian-Americans from around Los Angeles who play soccer together on weekends in an adult league, under the team name Arya FC. Iran's participation in the World Cup has been in question since the U.S. and Israel launched a war against the country in late February. Whether the Iran team shows up or not won't be settled until they arrive in the U.S. L.A.
County is home to about 166,000 Iranian-Americans — the largest population of Iranians outside of Iran. FIFA is planning to ban Iran’s former Lion and Sun flag in the stadiums. That flag is associated with those that want to see a return to monarchist rule in the country. Los Angeles is preparing to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup next month in unprecedented circumstances.
As the U.S. war in Iran drags on, the United States is the first host nation in World Cup history to be at war with a participating country. And the Iran men’s team is scheduled to play two of its matches in Los Angeles, home to the largest Iranian population outside of Iran. Iran's participation in the tournament has been in question since the U.S. and Israel launched a bombing campaign against the country in late February.
Whether they show up or not won't be settled until the team arrives in the U.S. to play. They were scheduled to train in— Kevan Harris, associate professor and vice chair, UCLA Iran's first match is June 15 at SoFi Stadium against New Zealand. In the meantime, Iranians in Los Angeles are anticipating the coming tournament with complicated feelings.
" Sports is supposed to displace war. It's not supposed to be war," said Kevan Harris, a sociologist at UCLA who studies the Iranian diaspora.
"Teams fighting it out when a war is going on, it has a flavor that's very difficult to process. Do I want them to win? Do I want them to lose? I don't know.
"For some, those dynamics and their opinions about the Iranian government are inextricable from the coming World Cup. For others, it's just about the soccer. In Woodland Hills, a group of Iranian-Americans from around Los Angeles play soccer together on Sundays in an adult league, under the team name Arya FC. On a recent weekend, many players said they were excited for the World Cup, and most said they'd root for Iran's team, known as Team Melli.
"It's a lot going on in Iran right now, and there are a lot of mixed emotions," said Bobby Riahi, an Arya FC player who said he was going to a World Cup match and would support Iran. "You can't be a soccer fan and not be excited about the World Cup. Am I excited about seeing my national team? I have mixed feelings this year.
" In Woodland Hills, a group of Iranian-Americans from around Los Angeles play soccer together on Sundays in an adult league, under the team name Arya FC. Between stretches and warm-ups, others said they doubted Iran would advance beyond the first round of the tournament. Some named players in Iran that they followed or said that they watched Iranian football. Most didn't want to talk politics.
Those that did, including one person who said he wouldn't support Iran because he thought it was the regime's team, didn't want to share their full names.
" It's a tough moment for sure for a lot of Iranians. I think a lot of my compatriots are pretty much divided," said Mehran Janani, another player.
"There is a split, I think, in the Iranian population, about the Iranian team being here. There are some folks that are excited. There are some folks who are not happy for the presence of the Iranian team. And that all comes down to politics, unfortunately.
""Soccer has always been the most-watched sport in the world. And I think that will bring everybody together, at least for a period of one month of June to July," he said.
"Let's hope for the best – that Americans will see the other side of the Iranian people as well. "Iran's participation in the World Cup has been marked by political controversy before, including just four years ago.
In 2022, the Iranian national team headed to Qatar for the World Cup as mass protests took place in Iran, sparked by the Christian Pulisic of USA battles for the ball with Ramin Rezaeian of Iran during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 at Al Thumama Stadium on Nov, 29, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.
"There was all kinds of pressure around trying to say that the team was not a national team, but that it represented the Islamic Republic, and therefore it should be boycotted," said Niki Akhavan, associate professor of media and communication studies at Catholic University of America. Iran did end up playing in the World Cup in 2022, where the team faced the U.S. for just the second time in tournament history. They lost 1-0.
Fans with the USA and Iran's flags attend the Qatar 2022 World Cup match between Iran and USA at the Al-Thumama Stadium in Doha on Nov. 29, 2022. Prior to that, the two countries faced off in 1998 at the World Cup in France. The showdown came after nearly two decades of hostility between the U.S. and Iran following the Iranian Revolution and subsequent hostage crisis.
Score board showing the final score of the World Cup 1st round match at the Stade de Garland on June 21, 1998 in Lyon, France. Naim Sadav and Mehdi Pashazadeh of Iran and David Regis of USA in action during the World Cup match at the Stade de Garland on June 21, 1998 in Lyon, France. Iran won 2-1, knocking the U.S. out of the tournament. Before the match, Iranian team members presented the U.S. team with white roses.
But in the stands, USA Team players exchange flowers with the Iranian Team before the World Cup 1st round match at the Stade de Garland on June 21, 1998 in Lyon, France. This time around, some members of the Iranian diaspora in Los Angeles think that protests around the World Cup are inevitable.
"There's no doubt that there will be protests. The question is where will they happen?
" said Harris, of UCLA. "What will be the slogan? What will be the demand? That's hard to tell.
" Sheila Rossi, who was born in Iran and is now the mayor of South Pasadena, said she expects there to be conflict over the flags people will bring to the Iran matches. Many demonstrators in Los Angeles have carried the country’s pre-revolutionary Lion and Sun flag as a symbol of protest.
That flag bears the same green, white and red stripes as Iran's national flag, but includes an image of a golden sun and lion instead of an Arabic inscription. Still, others are hoping the tournament can usher in a time of celebration for Iranians who have spent much of the year worrying about the war and family inside Iran. Shaheen Ferdowsi runs a Persian restaurant in West L.A. called Meymuni Cafe.
Throughout the year, he's hosted events to bring together Iranians from around Los Angeles, and opened his doors to people after protests against the Iranian government and amid the war. Now, he's hoping the cafe can be a place of celebration during the World Cup. He's planning watch parties and special menu items like lamb nachos for the occasion.
He's also hoping his restaurant can be a space for Iranians visiting from other parts of the world for the tournament to gather.
"The heartbeat of the Persian diaspora is in Los Angeles," he said. " I think that there's just going to be an electric vibe of Iranians all together here. " Back on the soccer field in Woodland Hills, Mehran Janani, one of the players, said he hoped the tournament could bring some levity to people inside Iran, who have endured months of war and a crackdown on protests before that.
" I think with the current political climate in Iran, I'm hoping that at least the soccer will bring some joy to the Iranian nation," Janani said. “I know as a country we love soccer. ” If both teams do advance through the first round, it's possible that the U.S. and Iran teams will face each other again, this time on American soil. If the countries each finish second in their groups, they'll play in Dallas, Texas on July 3.
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