Woman gets 15 years in Matthew Perry ketamine case

A federal judge has sentenced Jasveen Sangha to 15 years in prison for her role in supplying ketamine linked to the death of Matthew Perry, closing one of the central cases surrounding the actor’s fatal overdose in 2023.

Sangha, 42, appeared in court on Wednesday and acknowledged responsibility for her actions.

“I take full responsibility for my actions. These were horrible choices that ultimately proved tragic,” she said.

The sentence, handed down by Sherilyn Garnett, aligned with prosecutors’ recommendations and went beyond what the defence had sought. Sangha’s lawyers had argued for a sentence limited to time already served, noting she had been in custody for nearly 20 months since her 2024 arrest.

But the court pointed to her conduct after Perry’s death as a key factor. Judge Garnett said Sangha’s continued sale of ketamine showed a lack of remorse, shaping the decision to impose a longer sentence.

Sangha had pleaded guilty in September to five felony counts, including distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Prosecutors said she supplied 51 vials of the drug through an intermediary, which ultimately reached Perry via his personal assistant.

According to the case, the assistant administered multiple injections, leading to the actor’s death from the “acute effects of ketamine”.

The case has drawn attention not only for its connection to a high-profile figure, but also for the broader pattern it exposed. Federal officials say Perry, who had openly spoken about his struggles with addiction, initially received ketamine through a medical setting before turning to illicit sources when access was restricted.

Sangha, who prosecutors said was known among clients as the “Ketamine Queen”, became part of that supply chain.

Her sentence is notably longer than those given to two doctors also charged in connection with the case, a point her legal team raised after the hearing.

“There’s no way that Jasveen is five times more culpable than the person who injected Matthew Perry with the drug, or the doctor who got the drug,” said her attorney, Mark Geragos.