Who is Jasveen Sangha? ‘Ketamine Queen’ sentenced to 15 years in US over Matthew Perry death case
Who is Jasveen Sangha? Jasveen Sangha, a British-American drug trafficker of Punjabi origin, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for her role in supplying ketamine linked to the fatal overdose of American-Canadian actor Matthew Perry. The sentencing, delivered on April 8, has once again brought Jasveen Sangha into the international spotlight.
According to prosecutors, she ran a long-standing drug distribution network from her residence in North Hollywood, Los Angeles. Authorities alleged that over several years, she manufactured, stored and distributed illegal narcotics from her apartment.
On April 8, the court held her accountable for supplying the ketamine that contributed to Perry’s death. She has been in custody since August 2024.
Jasveen Sangha was born into a Punjabi-origin family in London to entrepreneurs Neelam Singh and Baljit Singh. Her grandparents had built significant wealth in the fashion retail sector in East London. Following her mother’s remarriage, the family relocated to Calabasas, California, where she spent much of her early life and completed her high school education in 2001.
She was also associated with a business known as “Stiletto Nail Bar” in Studio City, Los Angeles. However, prosecutors noted in court filings that she had not held legitimate employment since at least 2019.
The indictment detailed that Jasveen used her North Hollywood apartment as a hub for illegal drug operations for at least five years. As part of her plea agreement, she admitted that her residence had been functioning as a distribution centre even before 2019.
In August 2019, she sold ketamine to a client named Cody McClory, who died of an overdose shortly after the transaction. Prosecutors alleged that despite being aware of the fatal consequences, she continued her drug trafficking activities.
During a search of her residence in March 2024, law enforcement officials recovered a range of narcotics, including cocaine, counterfeit Xanax pills, methamphetamine tablets and approximately 80 vials of liquid ketamine.
Prosecutors stated that the specific dose responsible for Perry’s death originated from one of the vials she had supplied.Connection to Matthew Perry’s death
Investigators found that Jasveen became a primary supplier of ketamine to Matthew Perry. In October 2023, she worked with associate Erik Fleming to distribute the drug. Initially, she provided a sample in an unbranded vial, following which approximately 50 vials were sold through Fleming to Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa.
In a subsequent transaction involving 25 vials, Jasveen Sangha also included ketamine-laced lollipops as a bonus. Prosecutors stated that the specific dose responsible for Perry’s death originated from one of the vials she had supplied.
Following news of the actor’s death, she allegedly used an encrypted messaging application to instruct Fleming to delete their chat history.
Jasveen Sangha was first arrested in March 2024 on drug-related charges and later released on a $100,000 bond. However, in August 2024, she was re-arrested and charged alongside four co-defendants specifically in connection with Perry’s death. Her bail was subsequently revoked, and she has remained in custody since.
On September 3, 2025, Jasveen Sangha pleaded guilty to five federal charges, including maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of distribution resulting in death, and three counts of ketamine distribution. The charges carried a potential maximum sentence of up to 65 years in prison.
Her sentencing, initially scheduled for December 10, 2025, was later postponed multiple times—to February 25, 2026, and finally April 8, 2026. Prosecutors had sought a 15-year prison term along with three years of supervised release, while the defense argued for a sentence limited to time already served.
U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett ultimately sentenced Jasveen Sangha to 15 years in federal prison, concluding a high-profile case that underscored the dangers of illicit drug distribution and its devastating consequences.
- With inputs from agencies
