Matthew Perry death: 'Ketamine Queen' Jasveen Sangha to plead guilty for supplying drugs
Matthew Perry
, the US Department of Justice said Monday.
Sangha, 42, will admit several charges, including one of distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury in relation to the late star.
A dual citizen of the United States and Britain, she is expected to formally enter her pleas in the coming weeks. She has been in federal custody since August 2024.
Sangha will become the fifth person to admit playing a part in the death of the beloved actor, who had openly struggled for decades with substance addiction.
Perry, 54, was found dead in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home in October 2023.
A criminal investigation was launched soon after an autopsy discovered he had high levels of ketamine -- an anesthetic -- in his system.
Last month, Dr Salvador Plasencia pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine in the weeks before Perry's death.
Another doctor, Mark Chavez, admitted last year to conspiring to distribute ketamine to Perry.
Plasencia allegedly bought ketamine off Chavez and sold it to the American-Canadian actor at hugely inflated prices.
"I wonder how much this moron will pay," Plasencia wrote in one text message.
According to her plea agreement, Sangha worked with a middleman,
Erik Fleming
, to sell 51 vials of ketamine to Perry's live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa.
Iwamasa repeatedly injected Perry with the ketamine that Sangha supplied, including on October 28, 2023, when he administered at least three shots of Sangha's ketamine, which killed the actor.
The Justice Department said when Sangha heard news reports about Perry's sudden death, she tried to cover her tracks.
"Delete all our messages," she instructed Fleming.
When investigators raided Sangha's home they found methamphetamine, ketamine, ecstasy, cocaine, and counterfeit Xanax pills, as well as a money counting machine, a scale, and devices to detect wireless signals and hidden cameras, according to the Justice Department.
- 'Mostly sober' -
Sangha is expected 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.
"She's taking responsibility for her actions," her lawyer Mark Geragos told AFP.
Sangha could face decades in prison when sentenced.
The other people involved in the supply of drugs to Perry are expected to appear in court over the coming months to learn their fates.
Perry had been taking ketamine as part of supervised therapy for depression.
But prosecutors say that before his death he became addicted to the substance, which also has psychedelic properties and is a popular party drug.
"Friends," which followed the lives of six New Yorkers navigating adulthood, dating and careers, drew a massive following and made megastars of previously unknown actors.
Perry's role as the sarcastic man-child Chandler brought him fabulous wealth, but hid a dark struggle with addiction to painkillers and alcohol.
In 2018, he suffered a drug-related burst colon and underwent multiple surgeries.
In his 2022 memoir "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing," Perry described going through detox dozens of times.
"I have mostly been sober since 2001," he wrote, "save for about sixty or seventy little mishaps."
"Get the latest updates on Times of India, including reviews of the movie
Coolie
and
War 2
."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
35 minutes ago
- Indian Express
At Zakir Khan's historic Madison Square Garden event: ‘Sakht launda, narm dil'
There is an iconic scene in the movie Lakshya where Hrithik Roshan stands at the Indo-Pak border and says that, though he had always known he was an Indian, until that moment, he had never truly experienced this reality emotionally. For me, that moment was on the 17th of August when I saw Zakir Khan perform at Madison Square Garden. It was the first time that an Indian standup comic had performed at the esteemed venue in Hindi, filling the massive stadium with over 6,000 people who had travelled by train, car, and even flown into New York to be a part of this historic event. Zakir's good friend Tanmay Bhat and popular American comedian, writer and actor Hasan Minhaj opened the evening for him. Zakir Khan has distinguished himself from his peers by creating a mosaic of humour, pathos, narrative and the bittersweet truths of the human condition through his performances. His family and close friends are an integral part of his sets and stories, and on this special evening, Kuntal, Vishwas, his mother, and most importantly, his father were all with us in story and spirit. Zakir's performance was titled 'Papa yaar', and for two hours, he took us down memory lane, into the gullies of Indore, telling us how his relationship with his father evolved, and evocatively recreating what life was like before social media, smartphones and millions of different parenting styles. To be fair, there were elements from a lot of his previous specials like Class, Kaksha Gyarvi, Haq Se Single and my personal favourite Tathastu. But the presentation was just as impactful. The ease with which Zakir moves from humour to heartbreak and back to humour again is something that never fails to amaze me. He plays to the galleries with jokes about his ex-girlfriend and how men will be men, but he also makes space for the poet and philosopher in him. Amidst the laughter, he gently diverts us onto another path, forcing us to think, feel, fall in love with language and acknowledge that our parents are imperfect but irreplaceable. A post shared by Zakir Khan (@zakirkhan_208) There were two extra special moments that evening. The first was when Zakir called his parents on a video call after his performance and had all of us say 'Thank you, Papa' together. The joy and pride on their face to see their son fulfil his dreams and find so much appreciation was heartwarming. The second was when all of us turned on the torchlight on our phones for a picture and became a night sky of shining lights for the man who dared to soar. Best Clip I saw today on Internet…♥️#ZakirKhan — Ravi 🇮🇳 (@Vivaadit_Ravi) August 18, 2025 My friend and I had dressed in Indian clothes, since Zakir had said, 'kurta pehen ke aiye, sundar ban ke aiye'. Ordinarily, I feel conscious about wearing my Indian clothes in public in the US since it makes me feel like the odd one out. All the stereotyping in cinema, television, and now OTT content has not helped things either. But that day, we wore our Indian finery with pride. People all around us had come dressed in Kurtas, sarees, Salwar kameez or western clothes. But each one of us there wore our identity as an Indian or person of Indian origin with pride. In the current political environment in the United States, where racial minorities are being made to feel unsafe, and India is being targeted with tariffs and punitive economic measures, gathering in such a large group at Madison Square Garden and later Times Square was a moment of great significance. A post shared by Zakir Khan (@zakirkhan_208) In addition to the thousands of Indians there, there were also Zakir's fans of Pakistani origin in the audience. A man from Karachi was three seats away, and two more men of Pakistani origin were sitting in the row ahead. If he hadn't said he was from Karachi, I would have never known. Here, thousands of miles away in America, we are just brown immigrants looking to forge a connection to home, our childhood, and the experience of growing up in the subcontinent. Blending in while living in a foreign country often demands erasing parts of yourself that cause you to be othered. Thanks to Zakir Khan, for two hours, all of us at Madison Square Garden felt whole again and laughed like we do when we are in a safe space.
Indian Express
35 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Ai Weiwei in Ukraine
Weeks before his new art installation is unveiled in Kyiv, Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei visited Ukraine. Photographs posted by him on Instagram show him in Kharkiv, a city in northeast Ukraine. Among others are photographs of a Ukrainian flag billowing in the wind, sunflower fields, local cats and the artist with Ukrainian soldiers. He also met Ukrainian writer, musician and activist Serhiy Zhadan, businessman and Khartia commander Vsevolod Kozhemyako, footballer Andriy Shevchenko and artist Hamlet Zinkovsky. Though Ai Weiwei did not caption his photographs, Russian-Canadian artist-activist Pyotr Verzilov shared his photographs with Ai Weiwei alongside some details of the visit. He wrote, 'The chief artist of modernity, one of the pillars of world culture, the symbol of modern art Ai Weiwei came to us at the frontline in the very heart of the war, on combat positions north of the beautiful city of Kharkiv…. The great Ai Weiwei — smart, cheeky and brave — as the number one cultural figure on Earth should be.' The politically conscious artist and activist, who has often commented on geopolitical and humanitarian concerns through his works and otherwise, will be showing his work at Kyiv's Pavilion 13, a former Soviet-era exposition hall that has now been renovated into a multi-disciplinary arts space. Titled Three Perfectly Proportioned Spheres and Camouflage Uniforms Painted White, its metal structure is made of spherical forms that also comprised another Ai Weiwei work, Divina Proportione (2004–12), which was inspired by Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci's illustrations for an eponymous book on mathematics, written by Luca Pacioli. Commissioned by Ribbon International, a not-for-profit organisation, according to its social media account, '… the work reflects on Enlightenment ideals of rationality — and how those frameworks are co-opted in a world shaped by conflict and concealment. Speaking about it, Ai Weiwei stated, 'That is the challenge, to build new works relating to what I feel, to me in the past and to the current situation. Art is more metaphysical. You cannot really give every description, but you can always suggest a gesture or attitude or some kind of symbolic meaning, more like a poetic gesture.'
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'Cowardly attempt on our resolve': Delhi CM Rekha Gupta's first reaction after attack at Civil Lines camp office; vows to continue public service
NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta took to X on Wednesday to address the attack on her during a public hearing at her Civil Lines camp office earlier in the day. In her statement in Hindi, Gupta said the assault 'was not just an attack on me, but a cowardly attempt on our resolve to serve Delhi and work for the welfare of the public.' She added that she was initially in shock but is now recovering and urged well-wishers not to visit her, promising to return to her duties soon. 'Naturally, I was in shock after this attack, but I am now feeling better. I request all my well-wishers not to trouble themselves by visiting me. I will soon be seen working among you again.' 'Such attacks can never break my spirit or my commitment to serving the public. Now, I will be among you with even greater energy and dedication than before,' Gupta said. She reassured citizens that public hearings and problem-resolution initiatives would continue with the same seriousness, citing public trust as her 'greatest strength.' 'Public hearings and the resolution of people's problems will continue with the same seriousness and commitment as before. Your trust and support are my greatest strength. I express my heartfelt gratitude for your immense love, blessings, and good wishes,' she said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List The attack on Delhi CM took place during a public hearing at her camp office in Civil Lines around 8.15 am today. Her office described it as part of a "well-planned conspiracy to kill her". Police officials said the assault was serious and could have been life-threatening. The accused, 41-year-old Sakariya Rajeshbhai Khimjibhai from Rajkot, Gujarat, has a criminal record and was previously booked in five cases, including a knife attack, police said. He was detained immediately and is currently being interrogated at Civil Lines police station. Delhi Police have registered an FIR under sections 109 (attempt to murder), 132 (assault on a public servant), and 221 (obstruction of public servant). Authorities said Sakariya arrived in Delhi two days prior, carrying out reconnaissance near the CM's residence and her camp office. CCTV footage captured him in the area, and his mobile phone, seized by police, reportedly contains videos of previous public hearings. Security measures for CM Gupta, currently under 'Z' category protection, may be reviewed by the ministry of home affairs following the investigation. Sakariya's mother, Bhanuben Sakariya, claimed her son is apolitical and had traveled to Delhi to protest a Supreme Court order on stray dogs, describing him as someone who 'loves dogs, cows and birds.' Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Raja Banthia said further investigation is underway, with the Special Cell of Delhi Police involved.
