Sunday, December 22, 2024

Trial date set for Matthew Perry’s Ketamine Queen Jasveen Sangha

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The trial date has been set for two people charged with illegally supplying the ketamine that led to Matthew Perry‘s overdose, including the so-called LA ‘Ketamine Queen.’  

Jasveen Sangha, 41, an alleged drug dealer, will face trial on March 4, 2025 alongside Dr Salvador Plasencia, who both pleaded not guilty to charges related to the Friends star’s death. 

The 41-year-old was charged in an 18-count superseding indictment in relation to distributing ketamine to the actor in the weeks before he died aged 54 in October 2023. 

Sangha – who was allegedly known throughout North Hollywood as a dealer to celebrities – was nicknamed the ‘Ketamine Queen’ because of her alleged prolific activity. 

She is charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine, maintaining a drug-involved premises, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute ketamine, and five counts of distribution of ketamine.

Just hours before she was arrested by police in Los Angeles on August 15, Jasveen Sangha was boasting about her new haircut and color on her social media.

Sangha shared her lavish lifestyle, allegedly funded by her narcotics dealing, all over Instagram – where she posted snaps from her vacations to Mexico and Japan.   

Jasveen Sangha has been arrested in connection to actor Matthew Perry ‘s death

The alleged dealer to the rich and famous would often post images of her wearing Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry and Louis Vuitton sneakers and Chanel clothes – as well as snaps of her indulging in caviar at private jet lounges at LAX. 

The 41-year-old dealing ‘queen,’ who has dual US and British citizenship, also hosted ritzy parties for her friends in Hollywood, and exclaimed that ‘family is everything.’

In February 2024, four months after Perry’s death, Sangha posted smirking selfies while sunning herself on a trip to Playa del Carmen, Mexico, where she showed off her beachfront residence while drinking cocktails by the pool. 

She also boasted about her health and wellness journey – using IV drips after late-night partying and being a proponent of ‘sound healing,’ which she called ‘absolutely uplifting and cleansing for the heart and soul.’ 

Just two weeks after Perry’s ketamine-overdose death, Sangha jetted off to Tokyo – where she indulged in lychee martinis at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, where suites cost $1,847 a night.  

Sangha is just one of five others who were arrested on August 15 in connection to the actor’s tragic death, which shocked the world on October 28, 2023. 

In an indictment, texts between the defendants revealed that Sangha was known in the community for ‘only deal[ing] with high end and celebs’ in her drug business.

She is accused of using her North Hollywood residence, referenced in the indictment as the ‘Sangha Stash House,’ to store, package, and distribute narcotics, including ketamine and methamphetamine. 

The indictment states that Sangha ‘knew that the unsupervised and improper use of ketamine can be deadly’ and in 2019, she allegedly sold the drug to another customer Cody McLaury, who died of a drug overdose.

After a family member of McLaury’s sent Sangha a text message saying that her ketamine had killed McLaury, Sangha conducted a Google search for ‘can ketamine be listed as a cause of death[?]’

She was also a key player in Matthew Perry’s drug-induced death, it’s alleged. 

In an indictment, texts between the defendants claimed that Sangha (pictured) was known in the community for 'only deal[ing] with high end and celebs' in her drug business

In an indictment, texts between the defendants revealed that Sangha (pictured) was known in the community for ‘only deal[ing] with high end and celebs’ in her drug business

Investigators said they discovered a 'drugs emporium' at her home during a raid in March 2024

Jasveen Sangha, 41, otherwise known as the ‘Ketamine Queen’ of north Hollywood is also charged. Investigators said they discovered a ‘drugs emporium’ at her home during a raid in March 2024

The alleged dealer in Mexico, February 2024

The alleged dealer in Tokyo, November 2023

The alleged dealer jetted off on lavish holidays after Matthew Perry’s death – including to Mexico and Japan

On October 11, 2023, Sangha allegedly used Signal to message defendant Eric Fleming that her ketamine was ‘high quality’ and offered a sample to Perry, stating: ‘It’s unmarked but it’s amazing – he take one and try it and I have more if he likes.’ 

According to the indictment, 25 vials of ketamine were bought from Sangha on October 24 to be given to Perry – and ‘as part of the transaction, defendant Sangha included ketamine lollipops as an ‘add on’ for his large ketamine order.’ 

When ‘Ketamine Queen’ Sangha found out that Perry had died on October 28, she allegedly called one of the alleged co-conspirators and told him to delete any digital evidence on their cell phones. 

When her home was raided in March 2024, police found a litany of evidence relating to her drug dealing – including an ’emporium’ of narcotics and 1,978 grams of meth.

An affidavit filed in a Los Angeles federal court by freshman DEA agent Tyler Abrego on March 20 described the raid the day before on Sangha’s home. 

‘During the search, law enforcement seized significant quantities of illegal drugs, including approximately 1,978 grams of orange pills that field tested positive for methamphetamine, 79 bottles containing a clear liquid that field tested positive for ketamine, and various other suspect narcotics,’ Agent Abrego wrote.

A handgun was seen in the photo of the seized drugs included in Abrego’s affidavit.

The complaint said Sangha was a ‘large volume drug dealer’ previously identified by the DEA, LAPD homicide detectives and the US Postal Inspection Service.

Agents seized her cell phone, which had ‘conversations related to selling pressed methamphetamine pills and ketamine.’

In a text conversation about selling the drug, she asked for a payment of ‘958,51’ to her PayPal, and said: ‘I think you’ll like these but remember they’re double strength’.

Videos recovered from her phone showed her ‘cooking ketamine’, the agent wrote.

Doctors Salvador Plascencia, 42, and Mark Chavez, 54, Perry’s live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, 59, and drug dealer Eric Fleming, 54, have also been charged.

Just hours before she was arrested by police in Los Angeles on August 15, Jasveen Sangha was boasting about her new haircut and color on her social media

Just hours before she was arrested by police in Los Angeles on August 15, Jasveen Sangha was boasting about her new haircut and color on her social media

Jasveen allegedly wrote 'delete all our messages' to co-conspirator Fleming on October 28 - the day Perry died

Jasveen wrote ‘delete all our messages’ to co-conspirator Fleming on October 28 – the day Perry died

Sangha is just one of five others who were arrested on August 15 in connection to the actor's tragic death, which shocked the world on October 28, 2023

Sangha is just one of five others who were arrested on August 15 in connection to the actor’s tragic death, which shocked the world on October 28, 2023

According to experts, Sangha could face a life sentence over Perry’s death.  

Former federal narcotics prosecutor Neama Rahmani, president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, said: ‘Jasveen Sangha was the source of the ketamine that killed Perry and she could easily receive a potential life sentence over his death. 

‘There will be a lot of pressure on lower-level defendants and witnesses to flip on the doctor who provided the Ketamine or anyone else who played a role in getting it to Perry unlawfully.

Matthew Perry died in October 2023

Matthew Perry died in October 2023 

‘Some doctors believe ketamine infusions can treat anxiety and depression, but it’s one of the most abused party drugs. Perry should not have been using ketamine in a hot tub outside of a therapeutic setting.

‘This is a very high-profile case and this is going to send a message to doctors as well as dealers who are profiting from distributing ketamine.’

United States Attorney Martin Estrada said of Sangha and Plasencia: ‘These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being.

‘Drug dealers selling dangerous substances are gambling with other people’s lives over greed. 

‘This case, along with our many other prosecutions of drug-dealers who cause death, send a clear message that we will hold drug-dealers accountable for the deaths they cause.’

LAPD Chief Dominic Choi added: ‘Bringing these individuals to justice for their role in the untimely death of Mr. Perry required coordination and hard work by a number of people, and I want to thank LAPD detectives and our federal partners for their patience and dedication.

‘As the boots on the ground in our communities, on a daily basis LAPD officers witness first-hand the harm that these narcotics can cause, so I’m pleased that our collective efforts have led to the arrest of these individuals.’

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