The “Ketamine Queen” Pleaded Guilty in Matthew Perry’s Death and Was Sentenced to 15 Years
Last reviewed and updated: September 9, 2026.
The short answer: Jasveen Sangha, the dealer prosecutors called the “Ketamine Queen,” pleaded guilty in September 2025 to five federal charges connected to Matthew Perry’s death, including distribution of ketamine resulting in death. In April 2026 she was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.
| Key takeaway | Detail |
|---|---|
| The plea | Guilty on five federal counts, including maintaining a drug-involved premises and distribution of ketamine resulting in death |
| The sentence | 15 years in federal prison, handed down in April 2026 |
| What she admitted | Supplying dozens of vials of ketamine, including the dose that caused Perry’s fatal overdose in October 2023 |
| What changed | Her attorney had previously denied she ever met Perry and called the fatal-dose claim baseless |
| Why it matters | The ketamine involved came from an illicit supply chain, not a licensed clinic |
What Sangha Pleaded Guilty To
Sangha entered her plea in September 2025 to five federal counts: one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of distributing ketamine, and one count of distributing ketamine resulting in death. She was the only defendant in the case whose plea agreement included an acknowledgment that she caused Perry’s death.
In the plea agreement she admitted working with another dealer to supply Perry with dozens of vials of ketamine, including the dose that killed him in October 2023. He was 54.
A federal judge sentenced her to 15 years in April 2026, a term substantially longer than those given to the other defendants in the case combined.
The Denial That Preceded It
This article originally reported her attorney’s position at the time of the indictment. Mark Geragos, representing Sangha, said his client had never met Perry and had no personal connection to him. He also objected to the “Ketamine Queen” label, saying he admired the cleverness of it but did not think it belonged in an indictment.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office responded that it had not coined the nickname, and that it came from her own customers. Geragos had called the prosecution’s theory linking the fatal dose to his client baseless. The guilty plea and sentencing superseded that position, and we have updated this article rather than leave the denial standing as the current state of the case.
Why This Case Is Not About Clinical Ketamine
Coverage of Perry’s death frequently blurred two very different things. The ketamine that killed him did not come from a licensed clinic under medical supervision. Prosecutors described an illicit supply chain involving dealers and a broker, operating entirely outside medical oversight.
That distinction matters for anyone weighing treatment. Supervised ketamine therapy involves screening, dosing by a clinician, and monitoring during and after administration. If you are evaluating a provider, our guide on how to tell if a ketamine clinic is trustworthy covers the credentials and safeguards worth checking.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, in the United States you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
