Jasveen Sangha, a 42-year-old woman from North Hollywood, California, has become a central figure in the investigation surrounding the death of actor Matthew Perry. Known as the "Ketamine Queen" by prosecutors, Sangha is accused of being the source of the ketamine that led to Perry's accidental overdose in October 2023.
Sangha, a dual citizen of the United States and the United Kingdom, has agreed to plead guilty to five federal criminal charges. These charges include one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of distribution of ketamine, and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury. She has been in federal custody since August 2024.
According to the Department of Justice, Sangha worked with Erik Fleming, 55, of Hawthorne, to distribute ketamine to Perry. In October 2023, Sangha and Fleming allegedly sold Perry 51 vials of ketamine, which were then provided to Kenneth Iwamasa, 60, Perry's live-in personal assistant. Iwamasa is accused of repeatedly injecting Perry with the ketamine supplied by Sangha and Fleming, including at least three shots on the day of his death, October 28, 2023.
After news of Perry's death broke, Sangha reportedly contacted Fleming and instructed him to delete all messages between them. She also updated her Signal app settings to automatically delete messages. In March 2024, Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided Sangha's North Hollywood home, allegedly finding large quantities of methamphetamines and ketamine.
Federal prosecutors characterized Sangha as a prolific drug dealer, often referring to her as the "Ketamine Queen" in court documents and press releases. The indictment against her included charges of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, maintaining a drug-involved premises, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute ketamine, and five counts of distribution of ketamine.
Prior to her arrest, Sangha seemingly enjoyed a lavish lifestyle, as evidenced by her social media presence. Reports indicate she allegedly began selling drugs to multiple A-list celebrities from her North Hollywood residence.
Sangha's legal troubles extend beyond the Matthew Perry case. In August 2019, Cody McLaury died from a ketamine overdose after purchasing the drug from her. Following McLaury's death, Sangha allegedly searched online, "Can ketamine be listed as a cause of death?".
Sangha's formal guilty plea is expected to be entered in the coming weeks. She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the drug-involved premises count, up to 10 years for each ketamine distribution count, and up to 15 years for the count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury.
In addition to Sangha, four other individuals have been charged in connection with Perry's death: Erik Fleming, Kenneth Iwamasa, Dr. Salvador Plasencia, and Dr. Mark Chavez.