The death of Friends actor Matthew Perry from a ketamine overdose in his hot tub shocked the world.
This is reported by The Sun
And helping him on his way was a British-born woman dubbed the Ketamine Queen, who ran a drugs emporium from her LA home.
Now, on the day a judge could sentence her for up to 65 years behind bars, 42- year-old Jasveen Sangha has broken her silence to speak to The Sun — and also apologise to Perry’s family.
Sangha, who has family in East London as well as US-UK dual citizenship, initially denied nine charges. But last September she pleaded guilty to five federal counts in LA, including distributing ketamine resulting in death or bodily injury.
Mum says she still loves son who became one of UK's most notorious drugs lords
Speaking from her jail cell, she says: “I take full responsibility for my actions and the role I played in the events that led to this tragedy.
“There are no excuses for what I did. I am deeply sorry for the pain I caused, especially to Matthew’s family.
“Their loss is unimaginable and permanent.
“I understand that my conduct — operating a drug business and continuing down that path — was reckless, dangerous, and wrong.”
According to federal prosecutors, Sangha had been selling ketamine and other drugs for years out of her flat in North Hollywood.
She reportedly began to provide Matthew, 54, with the drug through the actor’s acquaintance Erik Fleming, who gave it to Perry’s live-in personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa.
Matthew had been having ketamine infusion therapy for anxiety and depression but had become dependent on the controlled substance and was seeking out unsupervised doses.
UK running out of cold and cough medicines - but Brits warned not to panic
In the days leading up to his death in October 2023 at his Malibu home, Iwamasa was administering “at least six shots” of ketamine daily.
During a ten-day period, Sangha sold two batches of 25 vials to Fleming, 54, who delivered them to Iwamasa, 59, throwing in ketamine lollipops with the second order.
Sangha said: “I accept the consequences of my actions, and I regret the harm I caused to others, to my family, and to the community.
“I can’t undo the past but I can now respect the law. I am determined that my future now reflects accountability and growth.”
Sangha, who had substance abuse issues including alcohol, revealed she is now sober and participates in treatment, even helping others in prison with their addiction.
Court documents lodged this week show she has taken up yoga and meditation inside the Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Centre — including completing a course in “understanding your feelings”.
Her uncle, Paul Singh, 64, claimed to the judge that she became a drug dealer as she was “depressed” due to a family death.
In a letter seen by The Sun, he wrote: “We experienced a heavy loss in our family, where our patriarch, my father, her grandfather, passed away.
“I can understand how her suffering stemming from grief and other losses and hardship led to her depression.
What someone wanted she likely had it available. Her focus wasn’t on the drug but on the client. She specialised in ketamine but made sure everything was available, - Bill Bodner, Retired Drug Enforcement Agent.
“Knowing her, this must be the turning point. She would never want to harm another person intentionally.
“She is remorseful about what has transpired.”
The policeman who was part of the investigation that led to Sangha’s arrest described her as a “boutique” dealer who sourced the deadly drug from an underground lab in the US.
Retired drug enforcement agent Bill Bodner told The Sun how she ran a “drug emporium” from her apartment.
Officers who raided her flat in March 2024 found cocaine, 79 vials of ketamine and three pounds of orange pills containing methamphetamine.
Bill, who now runs a private investigations firm, explained: “When her apartment was raided she had an ample quantity of drugs, but what was surprising was the variety of drugs.
“What someone wanted, she likely had it available. Her focus wasn’t on the drug but on the client.
“She specialised in ketamine but made sure everything was available.
“With her it was boutique and menu-driven.”
Bill added: “She sourced the drugs from a little clandestine underground lab in the US.”
On an Instagram account, Sangha advertised herself as a curator of art and events and a jet-setter who hopped between London and LA.
She bolstered that profile with images of pools, dance parties and fancy dinners around the world, appearing with Hollywood actor Charlie Sheen, DJ Khaled and Perla Hudson, the ex-wife of Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash. Bill said: “She had an events degree and she’s a college graduate.
“She had an education and she could have had a great career.
“But it was her greed for money, notoriety and access to high society that motivated her.
“And her social media persona became very important as she created this version of herself which kept her in business. She acquired her customers on the social scene and through word of mouth and interacting with celebrities.
“Ketamine has become more popular over the last five years because of the fear surrounding cocaine being laced with fentanyl (a highly addictive opioid). It’s become a big drug on the party and club scene.
“There’s been a lot of advertising on social media — it’s the social media drug — and that’s why she became so obsessed with her persona online.”
Bill believes the judge will hand Sangha a ten-year prison sentence — but says Salvador Plasencia, a doctor implicated in Matthew’s death, “got off with a light sentence” after he received 30 months in December.
Bill said: “The significant thing that people shouldn’t miss is the sentences of the doctors.
“They could have helped Matthew Perry early on in the stages of his addiction to ketamine.
“Instead they tried to exploit him and put him in the position where he sought Jasveen.
She feels that she’s a woman and glamorous so that’s why she’s being persecuted and treated so harshly, - Sangha’s Lawyer Mark Geragos.
“The sentence was too light. I could argue that they were the ones at the root of the issue but because she’s the illicit drug dealer operating in the shadows she’s going to get the higher sentence.
“They had a duty of care and a legal ethical responsibility.
“She’s just a drug dealer — there should be no expectations.”
Plasencia, Fleming, Iwamasa and physician Mark Chavez were charged and pleaded guilty in connection with Matthew’s death.
In December, Plasencia was jailed for 30 months. Chavez was given eight months of home confinement, three years of supervised release and 300 hours of community service in October. Fleming and Iwamasa have yet to be sentenced.
Sangha’s lawyer Mark Geragos said: “I think the US government is outrageous in their approach to this case.
“Can you imagine anywhere else in the world where you would go after the company who manufactures the gun rather than the person who actually pulled the trigger and murdered the person?
“What about the assistant who actually administered the ketamine?
“Sangha’s incredibly apprehensive about how long she will get.
“They are asking for an incredible amount of time.”
Mr Geragos added: “Her background is better than most people in prison so she’s been helping others.
“She’s doing everything and more than she should be doing. She’s handling it very well.
“She feels that she’s a woman so that’s why she’s being persecuted and treated so harshly.”
Lifestyle & Culture Editor
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
