A Los Angeles drug dealer known as the “Ketamine Queen” received 15 years in federal prison for supplying the lethal drugs that killed beloved actor Matthew Perry, highlighting how unchecked criminal networks prey on vulnerable Americans while profiting from their deadly trade.
Story Snapshot
- Jasveen Sangha was sentenced to 15 years for distributing ketamine that caused Matthew Perry’s fatal overdose in October 2023
- Sangha operated an elaborate drug network from her North Hollywood home, dealing ketamine, cocaine, and methamphetamine for years
- Perry received 50 vials of ketamine from Sangha’s operation in the weeks before his death, with his assistant injecting him up to eight times daily
- Sangha previously sold ketamine to another man, Cody McLaury, who died from an overdose in 2019
Drug Dealer’s Empire of Death
U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett sentenced Jasveen Sangha to 15 years in federal prison on April 8, 2026, for her role in supplying the ketamine that killed actor Matthew Perry.
The 42-year-old British-American woman operated a sophisticated drug distribution network from her North Hollywood residence, earning the notorious nickname “Ketamine Queen” for her specialty in dealing the dangerous substance alongside cocaine and methamphetamine.
Prosecutors described her operation as elaborate and designed to fund an extravagant lifestyle, with Sangha pleading guilty to five federal charges including distribution of ketamine resulting in death.
Deadly Supply Chain to Perry’s Door
Sangha’s ketamine reached Perry through a network of middlemen who delivered 50 vials to the actor’s circle in two separate transactions during October 2023. On October 14, Perry received 25 vials, followed by another 25 vials on October 24.
His personal assistant administered injections six to eight times daily until the fatal dose on October 27-28, 2023. Federal prosecutors traced the deadly supply directly back to Sangha’s home operation, where she had been dealing Schedule III controlled substances for years.
The case underscores how drug dealers exploit those struggling with addiction, turning human suffering into profit while facing minimal consequences until tragedy strikes.
Jasveen Sangha, known as the “Ketamine Queen,” was sentenced to 15 years in prison for selling the ketamine that killed Matthew Perry in 2023.
She pleaded guilty last year to five federal charges tied to his death and has been in federal custody since her 2024 arrest.… pic.twitter.com/RU7iBR17kI
— Variety (@Variety) April 8, 2026
Pattern of Lethal Dealings
This wasn’t Sangha’s first connection to a fatal overdose. In 2019, she sold four ketamine vials to Cody McLaury just hours before his death from an overdose, a fact she admitted during her guilty plea. Despite this prior incident, Sangha continued her criminal enterprise unabated for years.
Her defense attorney, Mark Arages, requested time served of nearly two years, attempting to portray her as a reformed addict battling her own demons. However, prosecutors successfully argued for a substantial sentence, initially seeking 15 to 20 years against a maximum possible term of approximately 60 years.
This pattern reveals the predictable tragedy of an unregulated drug market where dealers face insufficient deterrence.
Justice and Accountability
Sangha’s courtroom statement claimed full responsibility, saying “Not a day goes by that I don’t think about what I have done” while citing her own addiction struggles. Perry’s sister delivered a victim impact statement, providing emotional testimony against the woman who supplied the drugs that ended her brother’s life.
Sangha was the third of five defendants sentenced in the case, with Perry’s assistant and one other defendant awaiting sentencing later in April 2026. The 15-year federal sentence sends a clear message about accountability in drug-death cases, though it comes far too late for Perry and McLaury’s families.
This case highlights the urgent need for stronger enforcement against dealers who knowingly distribute lethal substances, profiting from addiction while destroying families and communities across America.
