August 19, 2025 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

‘Ketamine Queen’ Pleads Guilty and Admits Role in Matthew Perry’s Death

Prosecutors Say She Supplied Ketamine Through Perry’s Assistant

Facing five federal counts tied to Matthew Perry’s 2023 overdose, North Hollywood resident Jasveen Sangha has agreed to plead guilty, the Justice Department said Wednesday.

Sangha, 42, known as “Ketamine Queen,” will admit to using her home as a drug distribution hub, three counts of distributing ketamine, and one count of distributing ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury. A dual U.S.–U.K. citizen, she has been held since August 2024 and is expected to formally enter her plea in the coming weeks.

Under the statutes, sentencing exposure includes up to 20 years for the premises count, up to 10 years on each distribution count, and up to 15 years for distribution resulting in death or serious bodily injury.

According to the plea agreement, Sangha worked with Erik Fleming, 55, of Hawthorne, to supply ketamine to Perry through the actor’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, 60. In October 2023, Sangha and Fleming sold 51 vials that were delivered to Iwamasa. Prosecutors say Iwamasa repeatedly injected Perry with the drug and administered at least three shots on Oct. 28, 2023, leading to Perry’s death.

After news of the death broke, Sangha contacted Fleming on the encrypted app Signal to discuss distancing themselves, changed settings to auto-delete their thread, and told him to “Delete all our messages,” court papers state. Two days later, Fleming messaged that he was “90% sure everyone is protected” and asked about ketamine detection in toxicology testing.

Sangha also admitted to selling four vials of ketamine in August 2019 to Cody McLaury, who died hours later of an overdose, and to using her residence as a distribution hub since at least June 2019. A March 2023 search of her home recovered 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine pills, 79 vials of liquid ketamine, MDMA tablets, counterfeit Xanax, powdered ketamine and cocaine, a money counter, packaging materials, and $5,723 in cash.

Other defendants in the case include:

  • Mark Chavez, 55, San Diego physician — pleaded guilty in Oct. 2024 to conspiracy to distribute ketamine; sentencing Sept. 17, up to 10 years.
  • Erik Fleming, 55, of Hawthorne — pleaded guilty in Aug. 2024 to conspiracy and distribution resulting in death; sentencing Nov. 12, up to 25 years.
  • Kenneth Iwamasa, 60, of Toluca Lake — pleaded guilty in Aug. 2024 to conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death; sentencing Nov. 19, up to 15 years.
  • Salvador “Dr. P” Plasencia, 43, of Santa Monica — pleaded guilty July 23 to four counts of ketamine distribution; sentencing Dec. 3, up to 10 years per count.
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