A United States court has imposed this Wednesday a 15-year prison sentence on the drug trafficker nicknamed the 'Ketamine Queen' for her involvement in the supply of ketamine to Matthew Perry, the actor from the popular series 'Friends' who died in October 2023 due to an overdose.
Jayvee Sangha, with American and British nationality, has received the conviction after admitting in September his guilt on five federal charges, among them three for ketamine distribution, another for managing a property linked to drug trafficking and a fifth for distribution that caused "death or serious bodily injury" to the victim.
"For years, Sangha ran a large-scale drug trafficking business from her Hollywood residence," notes a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, which also specifies that the accused remains in pre-trial detention since August 2024.
According to the indictment, Sangha acted together with Erik Fleming, 56 years old and a resident of Hawthorne, to provide Perry with a total of 51 vials of ketamine. These were delivered to the interpreter's personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who subsequently administered the drug to him on at least three occasions, causing his death.
The prosecutors responsible for the procedure highlighted that Sangha continued supplying ketamine to other clients even after learning of Perry's death, which, in their opinion, evidences "an insensitive coldness and a disregard for life." "He put profits before people, and his actions caused immense pain to the families and loved ones of the victims," they added.
In the framework of the same case, another U.S. court issued last December a 30-year prison sentence against Dr. Salvador Plasencia, while Mark Chávez was sentenced to three years after admitting his guilt on a charge of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
The actor, famous for playing Chandler Bing in the television series 'Friends', "was receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety." According to the autopsy report, he was found lifeless in his home in Los Angeles (California, United States), where he would have drowned in the jacuzzi.