'Ketamine Queen' accused of selling fatal drug to Matthew Perry to plead guilty
Jasveen Sangha becomes the fifth and final defendant charged in the overdose death of the "Friends" star to strike a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, avoiding a trial that had been planned for September.
She agreed in a signed statement filed in court to plead guilty to five federal criminal charges, including providing the ketamine that led to Perry's death.
In a brief statement, Sangha's lawyer Mark Geragos said only, 'She's taking responsibility for her actions.'
Prosecutors had cast Sangha, a 42-year-old US citizen as a prolific drug dealer who was known to her customers as the 'Ketamine Queen,' using the term often in press releases and court documents.
She agreed to plead guilty 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 or serious bodily injury.
The final plea deal came a year after federal prosecutors announced that five people had been charged in Perry's death after investigation.
Sangha will officially change her plea to guilty at an upcoming hearing, where sentencing will be scheduled, prosecutors said. She could get up to 45 years in prison.
Perry was found dead in his Los Angeles home by Iwamasa, his assistant. The medical examiner ruled that ketamine, typically used as a surgical anesthetic, was the primary cause of death.
Perry struggled with addiction for years, dating back to his time on "Friends," when he became one of the biggest stars of his generation as Chandler Bing. He starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004 on NBC's megahit series.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
3 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Taylor Swift drops surprise vinyl of new album for 48 hours; sold out in less than an hour
Taylor Swift is keeping fans on their toes as she builds anticipation for her upcoming 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. On Monday (August 18), after a mysterious countdown on her website — complete with purple glitter visuals and confetti-filled Google search results — Taylor launched two exclusive vinyl variants. These special editions were available in two striking marbled colours — wintergreen onyx and violet shimmer. Each featured unique cover art of Swift in a dramatic, sparkly leotard with flared accents and matching gloves. The vinyl records also come with a gatefold photo, a double-sided foldout with a poem she wrote for the set, and a set of never-before-seen photographs — all exclusive to this 48-hour drop, which, unsurprisingly, didn't last the full time window due to overwhelming demand. The Shiny Bug Collection vinyl variants were available on her website for pre-order at 2pm ET. Although available until 1.59pm ET (9.59pm UAE time) on Wednesday (August 20), they were sold out within an hour. The vinyl variants mark a continuing trend of highly collectible releases. These new editions follow last week's release of three deluxe CD versions, which also sold out quickly. The album, set to release on October 3, explores the balance between life in the spotlight and personal vulnerability — a theme heavily inspired by her experiences on the Eras Tour. For now, only the standard vinyl edition — the 'sweat and vanilla perfume Portofino orange glitter' variant — remains available on her site. But if the past week is any indication, it may not stay there for long. Visuals for all editions, including this latest drop, continue to lean into the glitz and glamor of the showgirl aesthetic. ð��¸: Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott — Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) August 18, 2025 Take a look at the visuals for her CD editions below: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) Why 'Shiny Bug'? While Taylor Swift hasn't yet explained the meaning behind 'Shiny Bug', fans are speculating that the phrase may be referenced in lyrics or simply be another layer of her playful mystery — possibly even a nod to pop culture or inside jokes with fans. One eagle-eyed fan, Casey Tayler, even made a detailed video of the easter eggs Taylor hinted at prior to her announcement her 12th studio album. The fan even said that the shiny bug could be a Dogbane Leaf Beetle, which is a metallic, shiny beetle. Its colours are purple and green, and sometimes orange and green — the Life of a Showgirl's album colours. She also noted that the beetle can be found in Ohio — Travis Kelce's hometown.
Khaleej Times
3 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Matthew Perry death: 'Ketamine queen' to plead guilty to supplying fatal dose
The accused Los Angeles drug dealer known as the "ketamine queen" has agreed to plead guilty to charges that she supplied the dose of the prescription anesthetic that killed 'Friends' star Matthew Perry, prosecutors said on Monday. Jasveen Sangha, 42, who authorities said ran an illegal narcotics "stash house" in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles and was due to stand trial in September, will plead guilty to five charges under a deal with federal prosecutors, according to the US Justice Department. Four other co-defendants in the case — two physicians, Perry's personal assistant and another man who admitted acting as an intermediary in selling ketamine to the actor — have already pleaded guilty to various charges, though none has yet been sentenced. All five were charged in the case one year ago. Prosecutors said Sangha agreed to plead guilty to one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of illegal distribution of ketamine, and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Sangha, a dual US-British citizen, is expected to formally enter her plea in the coming weeks, the Justice Department said in a statement. The charge of maintaining a drug den carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Sangha faces up to 15 years in prison for ketamine distribution that killed Perry, and 10 years for each of the three other distribution counts. Medical examiners concluded that Perry died from acute effects of ketamine that combined with other factors to cause the actor to lose consciousness and drown in his hot tub on October 28, 2023. He was 54 years old. Fame and addiction Perry had publicly acknowledged decades of substance abuse, including periods that overlapped with the height of his fame playing the sardonic but charming Chandler Bing on the 1990s hit NBC television comedy "Friends." Perry's death came a year after publication of his memoir, "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing," which chronicled bouts with addiction to prescription painkillers and alcohol that he wrote had come close to ending his life more than once. His autopsy cited interviews with associates who said Perry had been sober for 19 months prior to his death with no known substance abuse relapses. Ketamine, a short-acting anesthetic with hallucinogenic properties, is sometimes prescribed to treat depression and anxiety but also is abused by recreational users. According to Sangha's plea agreement as outlined by the Justice Department, Sangha had supplied 51 vials of ketamine from her stash house to a go-between dealer, Erik Fleming, 55, who in turn sold the doses to Perry through his live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, 60. It was Iwamasa, prosecutors said, who later injected Perry with at least three shots of ketamine from the vials Sangha supplied, resulting in the actor's death, and who subsequently found him lifeless in the hot tub. In her plea agreement, prosecutors said, Sangha also admitted selling ketamine to an individual in August 2019 who died hours later from a drug overdose. Known to her customers on the street as the "ketamine queen," according to prosecutors, Sangha had used her North Hollywood home to store, package and distribute various narcotics, including ketamine and methamphetamine, dating back to at least June 2019. After learning of news reports of Perry's death, prosecutors said, Sangha tried to scrub her Signal app of all her communications with Fleming and urged him to do likewise, instructing him to "Delete all our messages." Her plea deal came three weeks after a doctor who ran an urgent care clinic, Salvador Plasencia, 43, pleaded guilty to four counts of ketamine distribution and admitted to having injected Perry with the drug at the actor's home and in the back seat of a parked car. Another physician, Mark Chavez, 55, of San Diego, accused of illegally supplying ketamine to Plasencia, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute the drug. According to court filings, Plasencia had once texted Chavez about Perry, writing, "I wonder how much this moron will pay."
UAE Moments
5 hours ago
- UAE Moments
Today's Moon Mood: Tuesday, August 19 2025
Moon in Pisces The Moon floats into dreamy Pisces today, and the vibe is full-on soft focus. Emotions run deep—but not always clear—so don't be surprised if you feel a little foggy or extra sensitive. It's a perfect day for escapism, creativity, and romanticizing everything, even doing the dishes. Boundaries might blur (Pisces will do that), so protect your peace and skip anything too intense or hyper-logical. Your intuition is loud right now—trust the gut feeling, even if it doesn't 'make sense.' Vibe Check by Sign: Aries: Slow down. No, slower than that. Taurus: Cozy up with a feel-good playlist and soft clothes. Gemini: Talk less, vibe more. Your feelings speak for themselves. Cancer: Major main character energy—emotional but in a poetic way. Leo: You're feeling extra sentimental. Let it soften you. Virgo: Let go of perfection today. Flow over fix. Libra: Big romantic daydreams incoming. Enjoy, but don't get lost in them. Scorpio: Your sixth sense is on fire. Follow the emotional breadcrumbs. Sagittarius: Not every question needs an answer today. Feel it instead. Capricorn: Work? Meh. Spiritual clarity? Much more likely. Aquarius: Tune into your inner artist—even if it's just doodling in the margins. Pisces: You're in your feels—in a good way. Use it for magic, not overthinking. Cosmic Tip: Let your heart wander today. You don't need a plan when you're in tune with the flow.
