‘Ketamine Queen’ Heads to Sentencing as Prosecutors Cite ‘Cold Callousness’ in Matthew Perry Case
The woman prosecutors have dubbed the “Ketamine Queen” is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Los Angeles for her role in supplying the drugs that led to the death of Matthew Perry.
Jasveen Sangha, who has been in custody since her arrest in August 2024, pleaded guilty last year to multiple federal charges, including maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of ketamine distribution, and one count of distribution resulting in death or serious bodily injury.
The charges stem from her involvement in a drug supply chain that ultimately delivered the ketamine used in Perry’s fatal overdose in October 2023. She faces a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
According to prosecutors, Sangha operated what they described as a “high-volume drug trafficking business” out of her North Hollywood residence, where she stored, packaged, and distributed substances, including ketamine and methamphetamine, dating back to at least 2019. Court filings allege that her operation continued even after she became aware that the ketamine she had sold contributed to multiple deaths.
“She didn’t care and kept selling. Defendant’s actions show a cold callousness and disregard for life. She chose profits over people, and her actions have caused immense pain to the victims’ families and loved ones.”
Authorities say Sangha had prior warning signs. In 2019, Los Angeles resident Cody McLaury died hours after purchasing ketamine from her. Despite that, prosecutors argue, she continued distributing drugs without altering her behavior.
She “had the opportunity to stop after realizing the impact of her dealing – but simply chose not to,” prosecutors also said, arguing that her conduct warrants a “significant” sentence.
In the case involving Perry, prosecutors allege Sangha worked alongside another dealer, Erik Fleming, to distribute ketamine to the actor. In October 2023 alone, the pair supplied 51 vials, which were passed to Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa.
“Leading up to Perry’s death, Iwamasa repeatedly injected Perry with the ketamine that Sangha supplied to Fleming,” the DOJ said in a press release last year. “Specifically, on October 28, 2023, Iwamasa injected Perry with at least three shots of Sangha’s ketamine, which caused Perry’s death.”
Sangha is one of five individuals charged in connection with the case. Fleming and Iwamasa both pleaded guilty in August 2024 and are awaiting sentencing later this month. Two physicians, Mark Chavez and Salvador Plasencia, have already been sentenced after pleading guilty to charges tied to the illegal distribution of ketamine. Chavez received eight months of home confinement, while Plasencia was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
As the sentencing approaches, prosecutors and defense attorneys have presented sharply contrasting portraits of Sangha.
Federal prosecutors are seeking a 15-year prison sentence, citing what they characterize as a lack of remorse and a pattern of behavior that continued despite deadly consequences.
In filings submitted ahead of the hearing, they pointed to recorded jail conversations in which Sangha allegedly discussed turning the case into a financial opportunity. An individual stated, “We’re gonna sell those book rights,” and Sangha allegedly responded, “Oh, I know, the plan is in, the f—— trademark is going down,” according to the filing.
“Even if said in jest, this conversation suggests defendant does not appreciate the severity of her offenses, and instead sees her crimes as a potential future revenue stream. It also shows that time in custody has, thus far, failed in getting defendant to adequately reflect upon the grave harms she has caused.”
They also criticized Sangha’s legal filings for minimizing the broader impact of her actions.
“For example, defendant harmed two overdose victims, but her sentencing briefing does not even mention Cody McLaury and only references Matthew Perry in passing, in the context of defendant attempting to downplay her role in his death and to heap the blame on others,” prosecutors wrote in their response.
Sangha’s defense team, however, has urged the court to impose a sentence of time served, arguing that she has demonstrated meaningful rehabilitation while incarcerated.
“She has maintained sustained and exemplary sobriety, and actively engaged in recovery-oriented and rehabilitative programming while in custody, and has tremendously strong family and community support to facilitate successful reentry and reduce the risk of recidivism,” her attorneys, Mark Geragos and Alexandra Kazarian, wrote.
Geragos has also emphasized his client’s emotional response to the case.
“She’s felt horrible from day one,” Geragos told reporters outside the courthouse last year following Sangha’s guilty plea. “This has been a horrendous experience.”
For Perry’s family, the loss remains profound. In a victim impact statement submitted ahead of sentencing, his stepmother, Debbie Perry, described the damage as permanent.
“The pain you’ve caused to hundreds, maybe thousands, is irreversible. There is no joy. No light in the window. They won’t be back. Please give this heartless woman the maximum prison sentence so she won’t be able to hurt other families like ours.”
The sentencing hearing, scheduled for Wednesday morning, is expected to bring a measure of legal closure to a case that has drawn widespread attention—not only because of Perry’s fame, but because of what prosecutors say it reveals about a broader network of illicit ketamine distribution operating behind the scenes.
Moumita Basuroychowdhury is a Contributing Reporter at The National Digest. After earning an economics degree at Cornell University, she moved to NYC to pursue her MFA in creative writing. She enjoys reporting on science, business and culture news. You can reach her at moumita.b@thenationaldigest.com.