The Last Plea in a High-Profile Case
Jasveen Sangha, a woman prosecutors once called the “Ketamine Queen,” pleaded guilty to providing the drug that caused the overdose death of Friends actor Matthew Perry. She pleaded guilty Wednesday in a federal court in Los Angeles, becoming the fifth and last defendant to plead guilty in the actor’s 2023 overdose case.
Sangha, 42, who is a dual citizen of the US and UK, had earlier entered pleas of not guilty. But as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, she reversed herself and pleaded to five federal counts, including distributing ketamine that led to Perry’s death. She could now face a maximum of 45 years in prison, but prosecutors indicated they will seek a lesser sentence.
The “Ketamine Queen” and a Web of Co-Defendants
Prosecutors described Sangha as a celebrity-level supplier who served upscale and celebrity clients, living a glamorous life on the internet while secretly operating a ketamine business. Her plea agreement includes keeping a drug premises, three distribution counts of ketamine, and one distribution count causing death. Other allegations, such as methamphetamine distribution not related to Perry, were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
Sangha and Dr Salvador Plasencia, who also pleaded guilty last July, were the focal points of the year-long investigation. Three others Dr Mark Chavez, Perry’s aide Kenneth Iwamasa, and Erik Fleming earlier pleaded guilty and gave testimony that helped incriminate Sangha.
Perry’s Last Days and the Fatal Transaction
Matthew Perry, the famous Chandler Bing celebrity on the popular sitcom Friends, was discovered dead at his Los Angeles residence on October 28, 2023. Ketamine overdose was certified by a medical examiner as the main cause of death.
Perry had been legally getting ketamine injections for depression but was looking for more supply than his doctor was prescribing. Just days earlier, prosecutors said, he bought 25 vials of ketamine for $6,000 in cash from Sangha, with her friend Fleming serving as a go-between.
The day Perry died, Sangha told Fleming to erase their text messages, prosecutors said, which was an indication they said that indicated she was aware of the danger.
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Awaiting Sentencing
Sangha has been in federal detention for a year already. Her sentencing will be set by a judge within the next few months, her last term the judge’s discretion. None of her co-defendants have been sentenced so far.
For fans across the globe of Perry, his passing was yet another sad reminder of his decades-long battle with addiction a fight that cast a shadow over his unprecedented success as television’s favourite son.
