Who is Jasveen Sangha? Meet the ‘Ketamine Queen’ charged in Matthew Perry’s overdose case

In a tragic turn of events, Friends star Matthew Perry, who passed away at the age of 54 in October 2023, was confirmed to have died due to a ketamine overdose. On Thursday, August 15, five individuals, including doctors and Matthew Perry's personal assistant, were charged in connection with the actor’s death. Among the defendants is Jasveen Sangha, a suspected drug dealer who has been arrested by authorities.

According to court documents, Sangha, 41, earned the nickname "Ketamine Queen" for her role as a significant distributor of the drug in North Hollywood.

Prosecutors allege that her residence served as a distribution hub for the ketamine that eventually led to Matthew Perry’s death.

Jasveen Sangha is charged with selling 50 vials of ketamine for a sum of approximately $11,000. Authorities assert that she was aware of the lethal potential of the drug she was distributing.

U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada, representing California’s Central District, described Jasveen Sangha’s home as a "drug-selling emporium" during a news conference, painting a picture of the scale of her illegal operations.

Federal agents raided her residence and discovered an alarming cache of drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, Xanax, and 79 bottles of liquid ketamine, alongside nearly 2,000 meth pills.

Jasveen Sangha, who holds both British and American citizenship, had been under investigation since June 2019, but the probe intensified after she was caught selling methamphetamine in an unrelated case earlier in March.

She now faces multiple charges, including five counts related to the sale of ketamine.

The autopsy report, released in December 2023, confirmed that Matthew Perry's death was the result of the acute effects of ketamine.

The report also indicated other contributing factors, such as drowning, coronary artery disease, and the presence of buprenorphine, a medication used for opioid addiction recovery, in his system.

Matthew Perry had been found unresponsive in the hot tub at his Los Angeles home, where he lost consciousness and ultimately drowned.

Jasveen Sangha’s lavish lifestyle has come under scrutiny, with the Daily Mail highlighting her social media presence as evidence of her wealth and extravagant living.

Her arrest and involvement in Matthew Perry’s death have cast a shadow over the tragic incident, drawing attention to the darker aspects of Hollywood’s ongoing struggles with substance abuse.

Matthew Perry had been candid about his long battle with drug and alcohol addiction, which he said plagued him even during his time playing the beloved character Chandler Bing on the iconic 1990s sitcom Friends.

ALSO READ: Doctors and assistant among five charged in Matthew Perry’s tragic overdose death

Matthew Perry was proud to have maintained sobriety for 19 months prior to his death and had not experienced any known relapses, according to interviews referenced in his autopsy report. The actor had often spoken publicly about his recovery journey, providing hope and inspiration to many others struggling with addiction.