Jasveen Sangha, the notorious drug dealer known in Hollywood circles as the “Ketamine Queen,” has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for her role in the death of Friends star Matthew Perry.
The 42-year-old was handed the sentence on Wednesday after pleading guilty last year to five federal charges, which included the distribution of ketamine resulting in death.
The ruling brings a significant sense of closure to the legal proceedings surrounding the actor’s tragic passing in 2023, which shocked fans across the globe.
The court heard how Sangha operated a high-volume drug trafficking business from her home in North Hollywood, specifically marketing herself as an exclusive dealer for high-profile celebrities.
Prosecutors argued that she knowingly disregarded the “grave harm” her business was causing while she worked to expand her profits.
In the weeks leading up to Perry’s death in October 2023, Sangha and an associate sold the actor 51 vials of ketamine. These were eventually delivered to Perry’s personal assistant, who administered at least three injections that proved fatal.
Matthew Perry was found dead in a jacuzzi at his Los Angeles home on 28 October 2023.
While an autopsy later confirmed that the primary cause of death was the acute effects of ketamine, other factors such as drowning and coronary artery disease were also cited.
The investigation into his death revealed a wider network of individuals involved in the illegal supply of the drug, leading to several other guilty pleas.
Sangha’s associate and Perry’s own assistant have both pleaded guilty to narcotics charges and are currently awaiting their own sentences.
The sentencing of the “Ketamine Queen” follows that of two other men linked to the case.
Salvador Plasencia is currently serving two and a half years in prison for his involvement, while Mark Chavez received three years of probation.
For Sangha, the 15-year prison term marks the end of a trafficking operation that prosecutors say was built on catering to the vulnerabilities of Hollywood’s elite.
As the primary source of the drugs that killed one of television’s most beloved stars, her sentence stands as the most substantial punishment handed down in the investigation so far.
