In the United States, a California court sentenced Jasveen Sangha, 42, to 15 years in prison on Wednesday in the case of the death of Matthew Perry, actor from the TV show Friends, who died in October 2023. Dubbed the “Queen of Ketamine,” she pleaded guilty to distributing the drug that led to his death.
Her guilty plea allowed her to avoid a jury trial and led prosecutors to drop other charges. She faced up to 65 years in prison. Arrested since August 2024, she was accused of providing “dozens of doses” of ketamine to the actor, who was found unconscious in his jacuzzi.
Investigation revealed that Matthew Perry was undergoing supervised ketamine treatments for his depression, but relapsed into addiction in the fall of 2023. During a search at Jasveen Sangha’s home, investigators seized 80 vials of ketamine, as well as methamphetamine and cocaine.
According to court documents, the trafficker claimed she could “fulfill any order” through her contacts, described as a “chef” and a “scientist.” Four other individuals pleaded guilty, including the actor’s personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, and an intermediary, Erik Fleming, whose sentencing is expected by the end of April.
Two other doctors were also sanctioned. Dr. Salvador Plasencia, sentenced to 30 months in prison, sold about twenty vials to the actor in the weeks leading up to his death. Dr. Mark Chavez, who supplied him, was given eight months of house arrest and 300 hours of general community service. A text message in the case illustrates these practices: “I wonder how much this idiot is going to pay.”
All our articles on Matthew Perry: Matthew Perry, a prominent figure from Friends, which aired from 1994 to 2004, publicly discussed his addictions. In his memoir published in 2022, he stated: “I should be dead” and admitted to experiencing anxiety attacks “every night” during the series’ filming.
