Jasveen Sangha is one of five people arrested this week in connection with the death of Friends actor Matthew Perry, but who is the ‘Ketamine Queen’?
On Thursday, US federal authorities held a press conference in which they confirmed that they had uncovered a “broad criminal network” of ketamine suppliers that “took advantage” of Perry’s addiction issues, with five people being arrested.
The actor was found dead at his Los Angeles home on October 28, aged 54. An autopsy report ruled his manner of death to be accidental, and showed that he died from the acute effects of ketamine, with contributing factors including drowning.
The police launched a criminal investigation into Perry’s death back in May, and stated they were working with federal authorities to pinpoint the source of the ketamine the 54-year-old actor had consumed.
Among the five now arrested were two doctors and Perry’s personal assistant, as well as Sangha, who police confirmed was also known as the ‘Ketamine Queen’.
What has Jasveen Sangha been charged with?
Sangha, 41, is ultimately accused by authorities of supplying Perry with the doses of ketamine that killed him, as confirmed by US Attorney E. Martin Estrada.
She is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine.
One of the others who was arrested, Erik Fleming is alleged to have obtained the drug from Sangha, which he has admitted to then passing on to Perry’s personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa (via Sky News). Investigators claimed that after news of Perry’s death emerged, Sangha sent a text message to another suspect, telling him to “delete all our messages”.
Sangha has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Her lawyer Mark Geragos said he believes prosecutors have gone too far in charging her and the other defendants.
“Just because it’s a tragedy doesn’t mean it’s criminal,” he said (via NBC News). “I understand people want to hold people accountable, but I think they’re going to have a very tough time holding people accountable.”
Who is the ‘Ketamine Queen’?
Based on images posted to her Instagram account, Sangha enjoys an expensive lifestyle, living in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles and having taken recent vacations to Japan and Mexico (via Independent).
Estrada has described Sangha’s home as a “drug-selling emporium”, while it is referred to in the indictment as the “Sangha stash house”.
Prosecutors also say they have uncovered her alleged connection to the death of another man, Cody McLaury, in 2019. She is reported to have been sent a text message by McLaury’s family after his death, saying her ketamine had killed him (via BBC).
They claim that after receiving the message, Sangha searched online for whether “ketamine can be listed as a cause of death”. Authorities say Sangha will now face charges in that case.
Prosecutors also claim that Sangha began supplying Perry just days before his death, with the supply he received on October 24 causing his death four days later.
She is thought to have become linked to Perry via Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who is alleged to have been providing ketamine to Perry before running into supply issues. Plasencia has pleaded not guilty to the charge against him.
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