Investigation into Matthew Perry’s death: Who is Jasveen Sangha?

In October, the world was shocked when Friends Star Matthew Perry was found unconscious in the hot tub of his LA home. An autopsy report later revealed that Perry, 54, had died from the “acute effects” of ketamine. On Thursday, the New York Times reported, Just reported that five people were charged in connection with Perry's death, including his personal assistant and two doctors.

The indictment also includes charges against Jasveen Sangha, a woman prosecutors call the “ketamine queen” who allegedly sold Perry about 50 vials of ketamine for $11,000, including the one that led to his death. When police searched Sangha's apartment, they found “a drug trafficking center” with nearly 80 vials of ketamine and thousands of pills, including meth, cocaine, Xanax and other prescription drugs, according to U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada.

According to the indictment, prosecutors allege that Sangha, 41, has been selling unmarked vials of ketamine branded as “Dr. Pepper” from her North Hollywood residence since at least 2019. Prosecutors allege someone in her network texted a potential buyer boasting that Sangha “only does business with high-profile celebrities” and insisting that she would lose her business if her product wasn't “great.” Authorities also noted that Sangha called the person she got her ketamine from “Master Chef” and “scientist.”

According to court documents, Perry asked his doctors to increase his prescriptions after initially turning to ketamine – a dissociative anesthetic – for mental health reasons. When his doctors refused, Perry's personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa began obtaining ketamine from outside sources, including Sangha, in October 2023, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors allege that Erik Fleming, an acquaintance of Perry's who is also named as a defendant, coordinated the drug deal by taking cash from Iwamasa to Sangha's “hideout” in North Hollywood. According to the indictment, Sangha texted Fleming the day news of Perry's death broke: “Delete all our messages.”

“We allege that each of the defendants played a key role in his death by improperly prescribing, selling or injecting the ketamine that caused Matthew Perry's tragic death,” DEA Director Anne Milgram said in a statement from the Justice Department. “Matthew Perry's journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their positions of trust because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials.” According to the Justice Department, Sangha is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, as well as “one count of operating a drug-addicted premises, one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, one count of possession of ketamine with intent to distribute, and five counts of distribution of ketamine.”

“These defendants were more concerned with profiting from Mr. Perry than with his well-being,” Estrada said. “Drug dealers who sell dangerous substances gamble with other people's lives out of greed. This case and our many other prosecutions of drug dealers who cause deaths send a clear message that we will hold drug dealers accountable for the deaths they cause.”

According to the BBC, this is not the first time Sangha has been linked to a ketamine-related death. In August 2019, Sangha allegedly sold ketamine to Cody McLaury hours before he overdosed. According to the Justice Department, a family member of McLaury texted Sangha informing her that the ketamine she sold had killed McLaury. Sangha then googled “Can ketamine be listed as a cause of death?”

According to ABC News, Sangha was arraigned in federal court in Los Angeles on Thursday, where she pleaded not guilty. She was denied bail and her next hearing is scheduled for October 15. If convicted, Sangha faces 10 years to life in prison.

The Cut has reached out to Sangha representatives for comment and will update this post when we receive a response.