Matthew Perry, famous for his role as “Chandler” on the series “Friends”, died in October 2023.
The court sentenced Jasveen Sangha, the drug dealer who allegedly supplied Perry with 50 vials of ketamine in the weeks before his overdose death.
Jasveen Sanghadrug dealer nicknamed “Ketamine Queen“, was sentenced to 15 years in prison federal on Wednesday for his role in providing a fatal dose of ketamine to actor Matthew Perry.
The sentence follows his guilty plea last year and represents the harshest punishment among the five defendants charged in the case. Federal prosecutors had sought a 15-year sentence, citing Sangha’s extensive involvement in illegal drug distribution and his “insensitive response” to the multiple overdose deaths linked to its activities.
Sangha, 42, faced a potential maximum sentence of 65 years, but had her sentence reduced as part of a plea bargain. “They weren’t mistakes. Those were horrible decisions.”, he admitted in court, acknowledging that his actions “destroyed people’s lives and the lives of their families and friends”.
Prosecutors argued that his continued drug trafficking after know of several fatal overdoses demonstrated a complete disregard for human life, says . Perry’s family members asked the judge to impose the maximum sentence, describing their grief as “irreversible”. His stepfather spoke emotionally about the actor’s unfulfilled future, saying he “should have had another chance”.
Sangha’s defense team pleaded for leniency, pointing to the absence of criminal record and for rehabilitation efforts during his time in custody. However, the court ended up agreeing with the accusation and the victim’s family and sentenced her to prison.
Perry, best known for his role in the hit series Friendsdied in October 2023, aged 54. Authorities determined that ketamine was the primary cause of death. Although the actor used the drug legally as part of his treatment for depression, he began taking larger amounts after his doctor denied higher doses.
Sangha admitted to providing Perry approximately 50 vials of ketamine in the weeks leading up to his death. He also acknowledged selling drugs, including methamphetamine, at his North Hollywood home since 2019. Prosecutors highlighted that he had previously sold ketamine to another person, Cody McLaurywho died shortly after purchasing the drug, and who continued to traffic narcotics later.
The case involved four other defendants, including two doctors accused of facilitating Perry’s addictionhis assistant who administered the injections and an intermediary who facilitated the transactions. While not everyone directly provided the fatal dose, the court noted their collective role in perpetuating the actor’s addiction.
