A federal judge sentenced Jasveen Sangha to 15 years in prison Wednesday for selling the ketamine that killed Friends star Matthew Perry in October 2023. The 42-year-old dual US-British citizen became the third defendant sentenced in the case that exposed a network of suppliers who exploited Perry's addiction.
US District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett imposed the sentence prosecutors had requested, calling Sangha the most culpable among five defendants. Sangha operated what authorities described as a high-volume drug trafficking operation from her North Hollywood home, catering to celebrity clients while marketing herself as an exclusive dealer.
These were not mistakes. They were horrible decisions
Jasveen Sangha — Associated Press
The sentencing revealed the mechanics of Perry's final days. Four days before his death, Sangha sold Perry 25 vials of ketamine for $6,000 in cash through intermediaries. Perry's live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa administered at least three injections of Sangha's ketamine on October 28, 2023, leading to the actor's death in his hot tub.
Perry had been receiving legal ketamine treatments for depression through his regular physician but sought additional doses when his doctor refused to increase the prescription. This led him first to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who received a 30-month sentence, and ultimately to Sangha's operation.
German coverage frames this as a straightforward criminal justice story, focusing on the legal proceedings and sentence without editorial commentary. The brief reporting reflects European media's tendency to treat American celebrity drug cases as foreign news items rather than cultural phenomena requiring deeper analysis.
Brazilian coverage emphasizes the medical aspects of ketamine, explaining its legitimate uses as an anesthetic and antidepressant alongside its illegal recreational use. This educational framing reflects Latin American media's approach to drug stories, prioritizing public health information over celebrity scandal.
Dutch reporting takes a critical stance toward the defendants' exploitation of Perry's addiction, emphasizing the "minachting voor het leven" (contempt for life) shown by continuing to deal after previous deaths. This moral framing aligns with Dutch progressive views on addiction as a health issue requiring protection from predatory dealers.
Prosecutors emphasized Sangha's callousness in continuing to deal drugs after previous overdose deaths. In 2019, she had sold ketamine to Cody McLaury, who died hours later from an overdose. Despite this, she continued operating her drug network until Perry's death four years later.
The pain you've caused to hundreds maybe thousands is irreversible
Debbie Perry, stepmother — People
The case highlighted ketamine's dual nature as both a legitimate medical treatment and dangerous street drug. The anesthetic has gained acceptance for treating depression in controlled clinical settings, but Perry's death demonstrated the risks when obtained illegally. Medical examiners ruled ketamine the primary cause of death, with drowning as a secondary factor.
Sangha's sentence far exceeded those of her co-defendants. Two doctors received sentences ranging from eight months home detention to 30 months in prison. Perry's assistant and a friend who acted as middlemen await sentencing. Only Sangha's plea agreement explicitly acknowledged causing Perry's death.
There was a spark to that man I have never seen anywhere else
Keith Morrison, stepfather — Associated Press
The investigation revealed text messages showing the defendants' awareness of their exploitation. Dr. Plasencia had written about Perry: "I wonder how much this moron will pay." When news of Perry's death broke, Sangha instructed her intermediary to delete their communications and attempted to destroy evidence.