In a final act of accountability for the death of “Friends” star Matthew Perry, the woman known as the “Ketamine Queen” pleaded guilty today to selling the lethal dose of the drug that killed the actor. The plea agreement, which brings the year-long federal investigation to a close, marks a tragic final chapter in the addiction struggles that haunted one of Hollywood’s most beloved figures.
Jasveen Sangha, a 42-year-old drug dealer who prosecutors say ran a sophisticated operation catering to the rich and famous, changed her not-guilty plea in a Los Angeles federal court. In doing so, she became the fifth and final defendant charged in the case to admit guilt, removing the need for a high-profile trial that had been set to begin later this month.
Wearing a tan jail uniform and flanked by her attorneys, Sangha answered “guilty” to five federal counts, including distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Her attorney, Mark Geragos, stated that his client “feels horrible about all of this” and is “taking responsibility for her actions.”
The plea deal concludes a sweeping federal investigation into the underground network that supplied Perry with ketamine in the weeks leading up to his death on October 28, 2023. According to court documents and previous plea agreements from her co-defendants, Sangha was the primary source of the drugs, providing dozens of vials to Perry’s friend and assistant. Prosecutors allege that just four days before he died, Perry paid Sangha $6,000 in cash for 25 vials of ketamine.
The case has exposed a dark underbelly of Hollywood’s drug culture and the ease with which powerful prescription drugs can be obtained illegally. While Perry had been receiving legal ketamine infusions for depression, authorities said he began seeking out illicit sources when his doctor limited his supply.
Sangha, who is also under investigation for a similar overdose death in 2019, now faces up to 65 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for December 10. For the family of Matthew Perry, who were present in the courtroom, the plea provides a measure of closure to a painful legal saga that began shortly after the actor was found unresponsive in his hot tub.
The case stands as a grim warning about the dangers of the illicit drug trade and the human cost of a thriving underground market. The guilty plea of the “Ketamine Queen” may close one chapter, but for the millions who mourned the loss of Chandler Bing, it can never erase the tragic and avoidable end to the life of Matthew Perry.