'Ketamine Queen' Jasveen Sangha sentenced to 15 years in Matthew Perry overdose death
5, including doctors, arrested in Matthew Perry's overdose death
Tonight -- we'll get back to our coverage of the criminal charges in the overdose death of Matthew Perry. Coming up -- a closer look at what authorities describe as the underground criminal network that delivered those deadly doses of ketamine. Plus -- southern California's newest venue celebrates its grand opening tonight. We'll take you inside the $2 billion Intuit Dome, the new home of the LA Clippers.
LOS ANGELES - A federal judge has sentenced "Ketamine Queen" Jasveen Sangha to 15 years in prison, marking a major milestone in the investigation into the overdose death of "Friends" star Matthew Perry.
Sangha, who marketed herself as an exclusive drug dealer to the Hollywood elite, is the third of five defendants to be sentenced in the high-profile case.
What we know:
Sangha, 42, pleaded guilty to distribution of ketamine resulting in death, admitting she sold Perry 25 vials of the drug for $6,000 just four days before he died.
Prosecutors highlighted her lack of remorse, noting that she continued to deal drugs even after learning her supply contributed to the 2019 death of Cody McLaury and the 2023 death of Perry.
While her attorneys argued for time served citing her "exemplary behavior" as an inmate, Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett followed the prosecution's recommendation for a decade-and-a-half term, telling Sangha she would need to show "epic resilience" during her incarceration.
Matthew Perry, star of 'Friends,' dies after apparent drowning
Matthew Perry, star of the hit show "Friends," died after an apparent drowning, according to FOX News.
The investigation revealed that Perry, who struggled with lifelong addiction, sought more ketamine than his legal providers would allow.
This led him first to Dr. Salvador Plasencia (sentenced to 2.5 years) and eventually to Sangha’s North Hollywood operation.
A dual U.S.-U.K. citizen, Sangha moved from England to the U.S. at age 3, and when she was around age 10, her family settled in Southern California.
What we don't know:
It's unclear if the defense will appeal the length of the sentence given their argument that Sangha never personally met Perry.
What they're saying:
"You’re going to have to show some epic resilience," Judge Garnett told Sangha during the sentencing.
Keith Morrison, Perry’s stepfather, told the court that he and Perry's mother, Suzanne, feel a "daily, grinding sadness and sorrow."
The backstory:
Perry detailed his years-long struggle with addiction in the 2022 memoir "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing." The "Friends" star, who played the character Chandler Bing in the series from 1994 to 2004, says he went through detox dozens of times.
Perry received one Emmy nomination for his "Friends" role and two more for appearances as an associate White House counsel on "The West Wing."
Perry also had several notable film roles, starring opposite Salma Hayek in the rom-com "Fools Rush In" and Bruce Willis in the the crime comedy "The Whole Nine Yards."
What is ketamine, the drug that killed Matthew Perry on October 28?
Nearly seven weeks after Matthew Perry’s apparent drowning in a hot tub at his California home, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner released the actor's cause of death as "acute effects of ketamine."
He worked consistently after "Friends," though never in a role that brought him as much attention or acclaim.
In 2015, he played Oscar for a CBS reboot of "The Odd Couple" that aired for two seasons.
Perry was born Aug. 19, 1969, in Williamstown, Massachusetts. His father is actor John Bennett Perry and his mother, Suzanne, served as press secretary of Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and is married to "Dateline" correspondent Keith Morrison.
Timeline:
June 2019: Sangha begins using her home for drug distribution.
August 2019: Cody McLaury dies after purchasing ketamine from Sangha.
October 24, 2023: Sangha sells 25 vials of ketamine to Perry's representatives.
October 28, 2023: Matthew Perry is found dead in his Pacific Palisades hot tub.
August 2024: Sangha is indicted and taken into custody.
October 2024: Dr. Mark Chavez is sentenced to eight months of home detention.
December 2025: Dr. Salvador Plasencia is sentenced to 2.5 years in prison.
April 8, 2026: Jasveen Sangha is sentenced to 15 years in prison.
What's next:
The focus now shifts to the final defendants awaiting sentencing in connection with the case.
Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry's personal assistant, is currently scheduled for sentencing on April 22, where he faces up to 15 years.
Erik Fleming, the middleman who coordinated sales between Sangha and Iwamasa, is scheduled for sentencing on April 29 and faces a maximum of 25 years in federal prison.
The Source: This report is based on federal court proceedings in Los Angeles, including victim impact statements from the Perry family and sentencing memorandums filed by the Department of Justice. The details of the drug transactions and previous overdose deaths were confirmed through Sangha's signed plea agreement and official statements from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Additional information is sourced from previous FOX 11 reports, City News Service, and The Associated Press.