The five arrests connected to Matthew Perry's overdose this week reveal that Hollywood's drug trade is still thriving and as lethal as ever. Among those charged in the "Friends" star's death are two medical doctors, along with Jasveen Sangha, dubbed the "Ketamine Queen" in her indictment, who catered exclusively to "high-end" clients and "celebrities."
According to the Department of Justice indictment, Sangha used her North Hollywood, California home to "store, package, and distribute narcotics, including ketamine and methamphetamine." She is also accused of supplying the drugs that led to Perry's death. Legal experts believe that Sangha could play key role in uncovering the network of dealers and buyers in Hollywood.
Ketamine Queen's Drug Empire
This is particularly true if she decides to accept a plea deal and cooperate by revealing information about her customers and suppliers. This was first reported by Page Six.
The 41-year-old entered a not guilty plea to the multiple charges against her at a Downtown Los Angeles court, where she was ordered to be held in jail.
Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Page Six, "There is overwhelming evidence against her. She's in a world of hurt right now....she could potentially get life in prison."
"She has two issues," he added, "One, she's now linked to two drugs related deaths, and two, she was (allegedly) dealing in methamphetamine."
Rahmani explained that while Sangha faces a major risk of imprisonment, she has "many incentives to cooperate in order to lessen her sentence."
"She may name anyone connected to her, anyone who supplied to her or she supplied to," he added. "Hollywood celebrities should be quaking in their boots...anyone who has anything to do with Jasveen Sangha should be really concerned right now."
Brooke Mueller, the ex-wife of Charlie Sheen, is also assisting authorities with their investigation. According to TMZ, Mueller, who has been in and out of rehab for years, met both Sangha and Perry during that time. Mueller is not suspected of any wrongdoing and has not been charged with any crimes.
Perry, who was found dead at age 54 in his hot tub last October from a ketamine overdose, had live-in help who tried to support his sobriety, including his former friend and sober coach Morgan Moses.
However, reports indicate that Perry used "hook ups" to have illicit drugs delivered to his home. "He would meet girls on dating apps and have them come over. There was a slew of 21 to 25-year-olds that he would meet on Raya. They would bring drugs with them," a source told the Daily Mail back in January.
"He would hang out with them and then it would be: 'Can you bring me something?' He could persuade people that it would not be doing anything wrong."
Murdered by Known People
Perry also relied on his closest assistant, Kenny Iwamasa—who was also charged this week—to obtain and administer his drugs.
A Department of Justice release revealed this week that Iwamasa had administered three doses of drugs to Perry on the day of his death, including the fatal dose that left him lifeless in his hot tub.
A Hollywood insider told page Six that influential figures and celebrities often hire prostitutes to deliver drugs. One such celebrity was Grammy-nominated rapper Mac Miller, who died from an overdose in September 2018 at the age of 26 at his Studio City home.
Heidi Fleiss, the notorious Hollywood ex-madam, told the outlet, "Mac Miller was apparently at the studio and he wanted opiates, so he called someone but they didn't show up.
"Then he was told that a girl could come with the drugs, but she's $1,500 an hour. He didn't even want the hooker, but she came with the drugs. So he took the hooker as well."
She said of Ariana Grande's ex, "It's like when you order a steak and get potatoes on the side. You're going to eat the side dish, but what you really wanted was the steak ... It's a little bit like the way I did things, but in my version, the girls came before the drugs."
US Attorney Martin Estrada claimed that all the five arrested including Sangha took advantage of Perry's addiction and tried to "cover up" their role following his death.
