Friends of 'Ketamine Queen' at Heart of Matthew Perry's Death Reportedly Fire Back: Taking Drugs Is a Choice
Friends of the woman dubbed the "Ketamine Queen"—who finds herself at the center of one of 2023's most high-profile celebrity deaths—are reportedly defending her actions, asserting that taking drugs is a matter of personal choice.
Jasveen Sangha, a British-American woman now facing serious charges, has been linked to the death of Matthew Perry, the well-known "Friends" actor who tragically passed away in October. This isn't the first time Sangha's name has surfaced in connection with a fatality, as she was previously associated with the death of another man five years ago.
Despite these grave accusations, those close to Sangha are quick to speak favorably of her. As one friend told the U.K.’s Daily Mail, “nobody’s forcing anybody to do drugs.”
On Thursday, the same day that five individuals were reportedly arrested in connection with Perry's death, including two doctors, Perry’s personal assistant, a drug middleman, and Sangha herself, Sangha's friends spoke out to defend her. The 41-year-old, known in North Hollywood circles as the "Ketamine Queen," is believed to have operated in high-end entertainment circles, as detailed in a Justice Department news release.
One drug dealer's text, cited by the Daily Mail, described Sangha's clientele as “high end and celebs.” Her connections within the entertainment industry appear extensive. “She knows a lot of people in the industry,” said Clancy Carter, an interior designer and friend of Sangha. “Her and I have been to the Golden Globes and the Oscars. There’s a lot of celebrities she was mingling with.”
Carter went on to characterize Sangha as “uplifting, bubbly and sweet” with a spiritual nature and a polished appearance. “She’s always in the nicest designer clothes. She has a family that takes care of her,” Carter shared. “She has never been the type of person who needed money. She has property in the U.K. She’s always traveling and doing fun things with her family. I would never guess she would do something like this at all. But if they have evidence connected directly to her, I’m completely shocked.”
Another friend, artist Heather Pardieu, took a more matter-of-fact stance, emphasizing personal responsibility. “She’s a friend of mine,” Pardieu said. “I mean, at the end of the day, nobody’s forcing anybody to do drugs.”
Regardless of the sentiments of her friends, the charges against Sangha are serious and underscore that choosing to break the law—and apparently doing so for years—is indeed a choice. Sangha faces multiple charges, including maintaining a drug-involved premises, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and ketamine, and multiple counts of distributing ketamine, as detailed in the Justice Department release.
The allegations also link Sangha directly to Perry's death, claiming that through an intermediary named Erik Fleming, she sold Perry’s personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, the ketamine that ultimately led to the actor's demise. Sangha was reportedly well aware of the risks associated with the drug, which is commonly used both as an anesthetic and for treating depression.
The Justice Department release also revealed that Sangha sold ketamine in 2019 to another man who died from an overdose. Upon learning of his death, Sangha reportedly searched online for “can ketamine be listed as a cause of death[?]”
In the wake of Perry’s death, Sangha allegedly texted Fleming, instructing him to “Delete all our messages.”
If the federal evidence holds up in court, it suggests that Perry was far from Sangha's only client. Authorities searching Sangha’s residence reportedly found evidence of extensive drug trafficking, including nearly 80 vials of ketamine, over three pounds of methamphetamine-laced orange pills, psilocybin mushrooms, cocaine, and what appeared to be fraudulently obtained prescription drugs.
Should Sangha be convicted of all charges, she could be facing a prison sentence ranging from 10 years to life, according to the Justice Department.