Jasveen Sangha, the notorious drug dealer known in Hollywood circles as the “Ketamine Queen,” was sentenced to 15 years in prison for her role in the death of Friends Starring Matthew Perry.
The 42-year-old was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty last year to five federal charges, including distribution of ketamine resulting in death.
The ruling brings a significant sense of closure to the legal proceedings surrounding the actor’s tragic death in 2023, which shocked fans around the world.
The court heard how Sangha operated a high-volume drug trafficking business from his home in North Hollywood, specifically marketing himself as an exclusive dealer for high-profile celebrities.
Prosecutors argued that she knowingly ignored the “serious harm” caused by her business as she worked to increase profits.
In the weeks before Perry’s death in October 2023, Sangha and an associate sold the actor 51 vials of ketamine. These were eventually given to Perry’s personal assistant, who administered at least three injections which proved fatal.
Matthew Perry was found dead in a jacuzzi at his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023.
Although 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 drugs, leading to several other guilty pleas.
Sangha’s associate and Perry’s own aide have both pleaded guilty to drug charges and are currently awaiting their own sentencing.
The conviction of the “Ketamine Queen” follows that of two other men linked to the case.
Salvador Plasencia is currently serving a two-and-a-half year prison sentence for his involvement, while Mark Chavez was sentenced to three years of probation.
For Sangha, the 15-year prison sentence marks the end of a trafficking operation that prosecutors say was aimed at catering to the vulnerabilities of Hollywood’s elite.
As the main source of the drugs that killed one of TV’s best-loved stars, his sentence is the harshest sentence handed down so far in the inquest.
