Jasveen Sangha, a woman federal prosecutors have referred to as the “Ketamine Queen,” is scheduled to change her plea Wednesday in a Los Angeles federal court and admit to charges that she supplied the ketamine that led to the fatal overdose of actor Matthew Perry.
Sangha has signed a statement agreeing to plead guilty to five federal counts, including maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of distribution of ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Prosecutors have agreed to drop three other counts as part of the deal. Her trial had been set to begin later this month prior to the plea agreement.
Sangha, 42, who holds U.S. and U.K. citizenship, has been depicted by prosecutors as a prolific dealer who used the sobriquet “Ketamine Queen” in communications with customers, a label that has appeared repeatedly in press releases and court documents. Her lawyer, Mark Geragos, issued a brief statement when the deal was announced in August saying, "She's taking responsibility for her actions." no further comment was immediately available.
Perry, the Emmy-nominated star of the sitcom "Friends," died in October 2023 at age 54. Federal authorities charged multiple people in connection with investigations into the source and distribution of drugs linked to his death. Sangha would be the fifth and final defendant among those charged to enter a guilty plea after reaching a deal with prosecutors.
Court filings and prosecutors’ statements have said Sangha provided ketamine that was used in a manner that led to Perry’s fatal overdose. The government pursued charges including distribution resulting in death under federal statutes governing controlled substances and distribution from a premises where drugs were used.
The plea will resolve Sangha’s pending charges without a jury trial. Sentencing will be scheduled following the change-of-plea hearing; the plea agreement may include terms that affect recommendations to the court and potential sentencing ranges, though those specifics were not disclosed in the earlier notice announcing the deal.
The case has drawn widespread attention because of Perry’s high profile and the role of ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic that has both medical uses and a history of recreational misuse. Prosecutors have stressed the investigatory focus on suppliers and facilitators in overdose cases, while defense attorneys in the broader case have at times contested aspects of the evidence and characterizations presented by the government.
Further procedural details, including the timing of sentencing and any statements by victims’ family members or prosecutors at the plea hearing, are expected to be part of the public record following Wednesday’s court appearance.