1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites

Woman to plead guilty over drug that killed Matthew Perry

John Silk with Reuters, AFP
August 18, 2025

The woman known as the "ketamine queen" has agreed to plead guilty to supplying the drug that killed "Friends" actor Matthew Perry, according to prosecutors.

American actor Matthew Perry poses for a portrait in promotion of his role in the upcoming CBS network comedy series "The Odd Couple" in New York. The show premieres on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015, on CBS
Matthew Perry died in October 2023 (FILE: February 19, 2015)Image: Brian Ach/Invision/AP/picture alliance

The US Department of Justice on Monday said a woman known as the "ketamine queen" has agreed to plead guilty to supplying the drug that killed "Friends" actor Matthew Perry.

Jasveen Sangha, who had been scheduled to go on trial in September, will plead guilty to five federal charges, the department said in a statement.

She was one of five people charged in the case. Another defendant, California doctor Salvador Plasencia, pleaded guilty to four counts of illegal distribution of ketamine in July.

What caused Matthew Perry's death?

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner found that Perry died on Oct. 28, 2023, from the acute effects of ketamine.

The autopsy concluded the drug caused him to lose consciousness and drown in his hot tub.

Other contributing factors included medication in his system and his long history of addiction. Perry was 54 years old when he died.

He had publicly acknowledged years of substance abuse, including during his peak fame in the 1990s. Perry was best known worldwide for playing Chandler Bing on the hit NBC comedy "Friends."

In later interviews, he said he hoped his openness about his struggles would help others.

Edited by: Richard Connor

John Silk Editor and writer for English news, as well as the Culture and Asia Desks.@JSilk
Skip next section DW's Top Story

DW's Top Story

Skip next section More stories from DW