LOS ANGELES (AP) – “Queen of Ketamine” Charged in Matthew Perry’s Death

A woman dubbed the “Queen of Ketamine” has been charged with distributing the drug that led to Matthew Perry’s death and has agreed to plead guilty. This development comes as Jasveen Sangha prepares to become the fifth defendant involved in this case to reach a deal with federal prosecutors. Initially, she had pleaded not guilty, but this change allows her to avoid an August trial.

Prosecutors have characterized Sangha as a significant drug dealer, frequently using the nickname “Queen of Ketamine” in legal documents and press releases. The official charges against her include conspiracy to distribute ketamine, maintaining a drug-involved facility, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and five counts related to ketamine distribution.

Upcoming hearings will formalize her guilty plea, with the potential for a sentence of up to 45 years. As of now, a response from her lawyer is pending.

Dr. Salvador Placencia, who signed a plea agreement back in June, was a key figure in the investigation. Three other defendants had already pleaded guilty last year, agreeing to cooperate while implicating Sangha and Placencia.

Perry was discovered dead in his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023, by his assistant. Medical examiners concluded that ketamine, typically an anesthetic, was primarily responsible for his death. Interestingly, while some actors use ketamine legally for depression treatment, Perry sought additional doses beyond what his doctors provided. Prosecutors noted that he began obtaining ketamine from Placencia about a month before his death, before turning to Sangha for more just weeks later.

Perry and his assistant connected with Sangha through Perry’s friend, Fleming, who was involved in facilitating the transactions. In their agreement, both men described their dealings with her.

According to court documents, Fleming once remarked to Iwamasa that Sangha’s ketamine was “unmarked but surprising.” He reassured his associate that they were only dealing with high-end clients, suggesting that if the product weren’t of high quality, she might lose out on business.

This arrangement led Perry to purchase a sizable quantity of ketamine from Sangha, including the dose that ultimately caused his death. On the day Perry died, Sangha reportedly instructed Fleming to delete all conversations they had exchanged.

In March 2024, her residence in North Hollywood was raided by DEA agents, who discovered substantial quantities of both methamphetamine and ketamine. She was charged in June, arrested in August, and has remained incarcerated since.

None of the defendants have been sentenced yet. Perry had struggled with addiction for many years, becoming widely recognized as Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom Friends, which aired from 1994 to 2004. He starred alongside notable actors like Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox.