Who is Jasveen Sangha? Indian-origin drug lord, 'Ketamine Queen of US' charged in Friends star Matthew Perry's death

The death of Friends star Matthew Perry sent shockwaves across the world. The beloved actor was 54 and had been battling anxiety and depression for years, having overcome severe addiction in his 30s. However, by all accounts, Perry was on the mend and positive. The death, which was later attributed to ketamine overdose, gave rise to an investigation into who supplied Perry with the drugs. The US authorities have now arrested seven people in connection with the case, including an Indian-origin woman called the Ketamine Queen of US.

Who is Jasveen Sangha, the Ketamine Queen of US?

41-year-old Jasveen Sangha is one of the seven people charged in connection with the death of Matthew Perry due to ketamine overdose. According to authorities, Sangha was known as the "Ketamine Queen" and sold the doses that killed Perry from her "stash house" in North Hollywood. Sangha, along with another defendant Dr. Salvador Plasencia, has pleaded not guilty in US District Court in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday.

Jasveen Sangha is an Indian-origin woman living in California, who earned the name of Ketamine Queen by allegedly selling ketamine and meth out of her North Hollywood “stash house”. As per New York Post, the California federal indictment that was made public Thursday said Sangha had been selling ketamine and meth as early as June 14, 2019. Sangha continued to peddle the dangerous drugs until she was busted on March 19 for selling meth in a prior unrelated case. A New York Times report said that in the raid on Sangha’s home, the federal authorities had seized 79 bottles of liquid ketamine and close to 2,000 meth pills.  She had been out on $100,000 bond since March, as per court records.

What is ketamine?

Ketamine is a short-acting anesthetic with hallucinogenic properties, sometimes prescribed to treat depression and anxiety but also abused by recreational users. As per reports, Perry had been getting ketamine infusion treatment for his anxiety. But he was also sourcing the drug from other sources and as per court documents, had bought 20 vials of the drug from Sangha for $55,000 (Rs 45 lakh).

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