Matthew Perry Stepmother Urges Maximum Sentence for Jasveen Sangha

Debbie Perry, the stepmother of the late Friends star Matthew Perry, has formally requested that the court impose the maximum possible prison sentence on Jasveen Sangha. The request was detailed in a victim impact statement submitted to the court on April 7, 2026, appearing one day prior to Sangha’s scheduled sentencing on April 8, 2026.

The legal proceedings are part of a Department of Justice criminal case tied to the death of the actor. Sangha, who has been referred to as the Ketamine Queen, previously pleaded guilty to charges related to the distribution of the drug that contributed to Perry’s passing.

Victim Impact Statement

In her statement, Debbie Perry, who is married to the actor’s father, John Bennett Perry, described the emotional devastation caused by the loss of the actor. She characterized the pain suffered by the family and others as irreversible.

The pain you’ve caused to hundreds, maybe thousands, is irreversible. There is no joy to be found, no light in the window. They won’t be back. That thought comes through our day everyday.

Debbie Perry

The statement addressed Sangha directly, questioning the motivations behind her actions. Debbie Perry noted that Sangha possessed a talent for business and the ability to earn money through legitimate means, but instead chose a path that caused harm to others.

You caused this … You who has talent for business, enough to make money, chose the one way that hurts people. How sad for you. How will you ever find joy – have you ever found joy? How sad for us all. We miss him.

Debbie Perry

Concluding her note to the court, Debbie Perry urged the judge to provide the heartless woman with the maximum prison sentence to prevent her from hurting other families.

Circumstances of Matthew Perry’s Death

Matthew Perry died in October 2023 at the age of 54. The actor passed away in his home located in Pacific Palisades, with the cause of death determined to be the acute effects of ketamine.

Perry had been transparent regarding his struggles with addiction throughout his life. These experiences were documented extensively in his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.

The Criminal Investigation and Defendants

The legal case against Sangha is part of a broader investigation into the source of the ketamine that led to Perry’s death. In August 2024, five defendants were charged in connection with the incident.

The group of charged individuals included:

• Jasveen Sangha
• Two physicians
• The actor’s live-in assistant

The timeline of guilty pleas among the defendants varied. Three individuals—Kenneth Iwamasa, Erik Fleming, and Dr. Mark Chavez—entered guilty pleas shortly after their arrests in August 2024.

Salvador Plasencia, also known as Dr. P, pleaded guilty in July to four counts of ketamine distribution.

Jasveen Sangha did not enter a guilty plea until September 2025, after reaching a plea agreement with prosecutors. Her sentencing is scheduled for April 8, 2026.