Ketamine Queen to Be Sentenced for Supplying Drugs That Killed Matthew Perry
A woman who admitted to selling Matthew Perry the ketamine that led to his fatal overdose is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. Jasveen Sangha, known as the Ketamine Queen, will be the third defendant sentenced among five individuals who have pleaded guilty in connection with the 2023 death of the 54-year-old actor.
Matthew Perry gained immense fame for his role as Chandler Bing on NBC's iconic television series Friends during the 1990s and 2000s, cementing his status as one of the biggest stars of his generation. His tragic passing has drawn significant attention to the case and the legal proceedings against those involved.
Prosecution Seeks Stiff Sentence for Sangha
Sangha is the only defendant whose plea deal included an acknowledgment of causing Perry's death, making her likely to receive the harshest sentence of the group. Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles are urging U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett to impose a 15-year prison term on the 42-year-old Sangha.
In court filings, prosecutors have portrayed Sangha as a Ketamine Queen who operated an elaborate drug distribution network catering to high-end clients, using the profits to fund a jet-setting lifestyle. They argue that despite her guilty plea, she continued engaging in drug dealing activities, demonstrating a lack of genuine remorse for her actions.
Defense Arguments and Mitigating Factors
Sangha's defense attorneys contend that the time she has already spent in jail since her indictment in August 2024 should be sufficient punishment. They have challenged the prosecution's calculations on federal sentencing guidelines, labeling them as factually incorrect.
The defense highlights several mitigating factors, including:
- Sangha's lack of a prior criminal record.
- Her exemplary behavior as an inmate, where she has maintained sobriety and organized Narcotics Anonymous meetings.
- The low likelihood of her returning to drug dealing upon release.
- Strong family support from her mother and grandmother, who would provide stability if she were freed.
Sangha holds a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Irvine, and a master's degree from Hult International Business School in England. Her lawyers present her as an educated and otherwise upstanding citizen who made a grave mistake by falling into drug distribution.
Details of Matthew Perry's Death and the Drug Supply Chain
Matthew Perry was found dead in the hot tub at his Los Angeles home. The medical examiner determined that ketamine, a surgical anesthetic, was the primary cause of death. Perry had a lifelong struggle with addiction and was legally using ketamine as an off-label treatment for depression under a doctor's supervision.
However, he sought larger quantities than his doctor would prescribe, leading him to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who admitted to illegally selling Perry ketamine and was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. Prosecutors allege that Perry later turned to Sangha, who sold him 25 vials of ketamine for $6,000 in cash just four days before his death, including the fatal dose.
Other individuals involved in the case include another doctor who supplied Plasencia with ketamine, sentenced to eight months of home detention, and Perry's assistant and friend, who acted as middlemen and are awaiting sentencing.
Background and Personal Circumstances of Jasveen Sangha
Jasveen Sangha is a dual U.S.-U.K. citizen who moved from England to the United States at age three. Her family settled in Southern California when she was around ten years old. She did not know her father but has cited her grandfather and stepfather as key male influences in her life, both of whom recently passed away, having a profound effect on her.
The prosecution argues that Sangha's life circumstances show she was not acting out of desperation but freely chose to deal drugs to finance a luxurious lifestyle. In contrast, the defense emphasizes her personal losses and strong family bonds as factors that should be considered in sentencing.
Judge Garnett has indicated she aims to calibrate the sentences for all five defendants to ensure they make sense as a cohesive whole. Members of Matthew Perry's family are expected to deliver victim impact statements in court before the sentencing is finalized.
Sangha pleaded guilty in September to multiple charges, including using her home for drug distribution, three counts of ketamine distribution, and one count of distribution resulting in death. She also admitted to selling drugs to another individual, Cody McLaury, who died of an overdose in 2019, unrelated to Perry's case.
