Jasveen Sangha: ‘Ketamine Queen’ sentenced in Matthew Perry case

When a beloved actor’s death makes headlines, the public often focuses on grief — not the supply chain that made it possible. For Matthew Perry, that chain ended with a North Hollywood dealer known as the “Ketamine Queen.”

Sentence imposed: 15 years in federal prison ·
Date of sentencing: April 8, 2026 ·
Known as: “Ketamine Queen” ·
Connection to Matthew Perry: Supplied ketamine that led to his death ·
Number of co-defendants: 5

Eight key facts summarize Sangha’s identity and the legal reckoning she now faces.

Who is Jasveen Sangha, the ‘Ketamine Queen’?

Jasveen Sangha was born July 22, 1983, and holds dual citizenship in the United States and the United Kingdom (U.S. Attorney’s Office, defendant profile). She operated as a drug dealer catering to Hollywood elites, marketing herself under the moniker “Ketamine Queen” (FOX 11 Los Angeles, court reporting).

Background and early life

• Born in 1983; grew up in the Los Angeles area (DOJ, biographical data)
• Dual US-UK citizenship established through family ties (Same source)
• No prior public criminal record before this case (ABC News, background check)

The implication: Sangha was not a street-level dealer but a targeted player in an exclusive illicit market — one that intersected with a world-famous celebrity.

Criminal history

• Operated a drug-involved premises from her North Hollywood home (DOJ, maintaining a drug premises charge)
• Distributed ketamine on multiple occasions (Same)
• Her sales contributed to at least two deaths, including Perry’s (U.S. Attorney’s Office, victim impact)

The pattern: Sangha’s operation was small-scale in volume but lethal in outcome — the kind of dealer that federal prosecutors target when a high-profile death provides political will.

What role did Jasveen Sangha play in Matthew Perry’s death?

Perry died on October 28, 2023, from acute effects of ketamine. The investigation traced the fatal dose back to Sangha. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Sangha and codefendant Erik Fleming sold 51 vials of ketamine in October 2023, which were delivered to Perry’s assistant Kenneth Iwamasa.

Supply of ketamine

• Sangha admitted selling Perry 25 vials for $6,000 just four days before his death (FOX 11 Los Angeles, plea agreement details)
• Her source of ketamine was not disclosed in court filings (ABC News, investigation still open)
• She marketed the drug to a network of wealthy clients (FOX 11, prosecutor’s description)

What this means: Sangha operated as a mid-tier wholesaler who delivered directly to users and their intermediaries — bypassing the traditional street market.

Connection to other dealers

• Co-defendant Erik Fleming acted as the intermediary between Sangha and Perry’s team (ABC News, court filing)
• Iwamasa, Perry’s live-in assistant, administered the injections (DOJ, factual basis)
• Five people total were charged: Sangha, Fleming, Iwamasa, and two doctors (FOX 11, case overview)

The trade-off: By offering a plea deal, prosecutors secured a conviction without trial — but the public may never learn the full upstream supply chain.

Events leading to the overdose

• Perry had been receiving legitimate ketamine infusion therapy for depression but sought additional supply on his own (ABC News, background)
• On the day of his death, Iwamasa administered multiple injections over several hours (DOJ, coroner report)
• The coroner ruled the death an accident due to ketamine’s acute effects (Same source)

What was Jasveen Sangha sentenced to and when?

On April 8, 2026, U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett sentenced Sangha to 180 months — 15 years — in federal prison (U.S. Attorney’s Office, sentencing record). She had faced a maximum of 65 years under federal law (ABC News, statutory maximum).

Sentencing details

• Sentence: 180 months (15 years) (DOJ, official term)
• Court: U.S. District Court, Central District of California (Same source)
• Judge: Sherilyn Peace Garnett (Same source)
• Sangha had been in federal custody since August 2024 (DOJ, custody timeline)

Why this matters: The sentence is substantial but far below the maximum, reflecting the leverage of a guilty plea that avoided a trial and preserved the government’s resources.

Plea agreement

• Sangha pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of distribution of ketamine, and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death (DOJ, counts)
• She admitted to selling Perry 25 vials of ketamine for $6,000 four days before his death (FOX 11, plea facts)
• Prosecutors noted she cooperated partially but the cooperation did not warrant a major reduction (ABC News, prosecutor statement)

The implication: The plea deal locked in a conviction but may have prevented the public from learning the broader network’s identity.

Judge’s statement

“The defendant chose to sell drugs that she knew could kill, and she sold them to someone who was vulnerable. This sentence reflects the gravity of that choice.”

— Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett, as reported by U.S. Attorney’s Office, sentencing remarks

Key perspectives from the courtroom

“This defendant marketed herself as an exclusive drug dealer to Hollywood elites. She sold drugs that destroyed lives, and now she faces the consequences.”

— Federal prosecutor, as reported by FOX 11 Los Angeles, court coverage

“The defense argued that Sangha’s role was limited and that Perry’s own actions contributed to his death.”

— Defense attorney, summarized by ABC News, court reporting

The sentencing closes a chapter but leaves open the question of whether the legal system’s response to celebrity drug deaths will change the behavior of high-end dealers. For casual users and those around them, the case is a stark reminder: even a single transaction can lead to fatal consequences.