LOS ANGELES – A drug dealer nicknamed the Ketamine Queen has agreed to plead guilty to supplying the narcotics that killed beloved Friends actor Matthew Perry, federal prosecutors announced Monday.
Jasveen Sangha (42) will admit to multiple charges, including distribution of ketamine resulting in death, in connection with the October 2023 death of the 54-year-old star. The dual US-British citizen has been in federal custody since August 2024 and is expected to formally enter her pleas in the coming weeks.
Sangha becomes the fifth person to admit playing a role in Perry’s death, marking a significant development in the high-profile case that has exposed a complex drug distribution network targeting the troubled actor.
The tatal transaction
According to court documents, Sangha worked with middleman Erik Fleming to sell 51 vials of ketamine to Perry’s live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa. The assistant repeatedly injected Perry with the drug, including on the day of his death when he administered at least three shots of Sangha’s ketamine.
Perry was found dead in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023. An autopsy revealed high levels of ketamine – an anesthetic with psychedelic properties – in his system, prompting a criminal investigation.
When news of Perry’s death broke, Sangha allegedly attempted to destroy evidence. “Delete all our messages,” she instructed Fleming, according to prosecutors.
Federal agents who raided Sangha’s residence discovered a drug dealer’s arsenal: methamphetamine, ketamine, ecstasy, cocaine, and counterfeit Xanax pills. They also found a money counting machine, a scale, and devices to detect wireless signals and hidden cameras.
Medical professionals involved
The case has also ensnared medical professionals who exploited Perry’s addiction for profit. Dr. Salvador Plasencia pleaded guilty last month to four counts of ketamine distribution, while Dr. Mark Chavez admitted to conspiring to distribute the drug to Perry.
Plasencia allegedly purchased ketamine from Chavez and sold it to Perry at inflated prices. In text messages revealed during the investigation, Plasencia wrote: “I wonder how much this moron will pay.”
“She’s taking responsibility for her actions,” Sangha’s attorney Mark Geragos told AFP. Sangha faces charges including maintaining a drug-involved premises and multiple counts of ketamine distribution. She could face decades in prison when sentenced.
Perry’s struggle with addiction
The Canadian-American actor had been receiving ketamine as part of supervised therapy for depression before his death. However, prosecutors say he became addicted to the substance, which has gained popularity as a party drug.
Perry’s battle with addiction was well-documented and public. In 2018, he suffered a drug-related burst colon requiring multiple surgeries. His 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,” detailed his struggles with substance abuse.
“I have mostly been sober since 2001,” Perry wrote, “save for about sixty or seventy little mishaps.”
Perry rose to fame as the sarcastic Chandler Bing on “Friends,” the hit sitcom that followed six New Yorkers navigating adulthood, dating, and careers. The show made megastars of its previously unknown cast and drew a massive global following.
Despite his professional success and wealth, Perry’s life was marked by a dark struggle with addiction to painkillers and alcohol that ultimately led to his untimely death.
The remaining defendants in the case are expected to appear in court over the coming months for sentencing.
