‘Ketamine Queen’ sentenced to 15 years in Matthew Perry overdose death

A 42-year-old Los Angeles woman known as the ‘Ketamine Queen’ received a 15-year prison sentence for her role in the fatal drug overdose of actor Matthew Perry, famed for his portrayal of Chandler Bing in the 1990s sitcom Friends. The verdict came after she admitted guilt in September for five offenses, including distributing ketamine that led to death or severe injury.

Authorities concluded that Perry’s demise was directly tied to the immediate effects of ketamine, which acts as a dissociative anesthetic with hallucinogenic properties and is typically administered by physicians. His body was discovered in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home in October 2023, marking the end of a prolonged struggle with substance addiction.

Debbie Perry, Perry’s stepmother, asserted in a victim impact statement submitted to the California court that Sangha’s actions caused ‘irreversible’ harm. ‘You caused this… You who possesses the business acumen to generate wealth opted for a path that inflicts pain,’ she stated. ‘I urge the judge to impose the maximum sentence, ensuring she can no longer harm families like ours.’

Federal agents uncovered numerous ketamine vials during a raid on Sangha’s Los Angeles residence and alleged she had been distributing the injectable drug from her ‘stash house’ in North Hollywood since 2019. Thousands of pills containing methamphetamine, cocaine, and Xanax were also seized. Under the plea deal, she admitted to providing ketamine to Cody McLaury in August 2019, whose overdose death occurred shortly after the transaction.

The justice department noted that Sangha could have faced up to 65 years in federal prison. Her legal team confirmed she has been in custody since August 2024. Meanwhile, multiple letters advocating for leniency were submitted by her family and acquaintances, emphasizing her acceptance of responsibility for serious criminal conduct and absence of prior convictions.

Sangha is among five individuals, including medical professionals and Perry’s assistant, accused of supplying ketamine to the actor, exploiting his addiction for profit. The other four participants also accepted guilty pleas in the case. Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who provided ketamine to Perry in the weeks prior to his death, was sentenced to 30 months in prison in December. Dr. Mark Chavez, a California doctor who sold the drug to Perry, received eight months of home detention and three years of supervised release.

The San Diego-based physician confessed to acquiring ketamine through a fraudulent prescription, distributing it from his clinic and a wholesale supplier, and passing it to Plasencia for Perry’s use. Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who aided in the purchase and injection of ketamine, is set for sentencing this month, though his legal team has requested a delay. Eric Fleming, who obtained ketamine from Sangha and sold it to Perry, will be sentenced in June.