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Death of Matthew Perry: Woman speaks out after her brother's 2019 overdose is linked to the so-called 'ketamine queen'

The sister of a man who investigators say died as a result of taking drugs he bought from the so-called “ketamine queen” has spoken out for the first time after the alleged dealer was charged in connection with the death of Matthew Perry.

Cody McLaury, 33, an aspiring personal trainer, bought drugs from Jasveen Sangha, the alleged Hollywood beauty known by the nickname “Ketamine Queen,” in August 2019, according to prosecutors.

Hours later, McLaury died of an overdose.

Now, five years later, Sangha is one of five people arrested and charged for the Friends Death of the star.

McLaury's sister Kimberly told CNN that after her brother's death, she searched his phone and found text messages between him and a person she believed to be his dealer.

The chat revealed that McLaury paid the dealer for the ketamine via Venmo.

Kimberly sent the dealer a text message telling him that the drugs had killed her brother.

“After his death certificate came out, I wrote back and said, 'Just so you know, the ketamine you sold my brother was listed as the cause of death,'” she told the station.

She said she never heard back. “I just assumed she didn't care,” she said.

Matthew Perry died in October 2023 after taking ketamine that he allegedly purchased from Jasveen Sangha, the
Matthew Perry died in October 2023 after taking ketamine that he allegedly purchased from Jasveen Sangha, the “Ketamine Queen.” Sangha was arrested along with four other people in connection with Perry's death. (2017 Invision)

Kimberly told CNN that her brother lived in Los Angeles for four years before his death.

She said she received a surprise visit from Los Angeles Police Department officers at her home in Washington earlier this year.

Then she suspected that her brother's death might be connected to Perry's.

Kimberly learned from the LAPD that the text message she sent to Sangha may have indirectly given prosecutors the evidence they needed to bring charges against her, she said.

After receiving Kimberly's text message, prosecutors say, Sangha did a Google search and asked, “Can ketamine be listed as a cause of death?”

Investigators said the search proved that Sangha knew that “unsupervised and improper use of ketamine can be fatal.”

Prosecutors allege that Sangha continued to sell ketamine from her stash after McLaury's death.

Kimberly said the charges against the dealer who sold her brother a lethal dose of ketamine left her with mixed emotions – both sadness and “satisfaction.”

Jasveen Sangha was called the “ketamine queen” by prosecutors
Jasveen Sangha was called the “ketamine queen” by prosecutors (Instagram)

“I just assumed she didn't care, that she was a callous person, that she was selling drugs, and that she just wanted to move on with her life,” Kimberly added.

Sangha, 41, and four others were arrested in August and charged with supplying Perry with the ketamine that killed him on Oct. 28 last year, authorities said Thursday.

Other suspects include Perry's personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry's acquaintance Erik Fleming and two doctors, Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez.

According to an indictment unsealed in federal court in Los Angeles, Iwamasa and Erik Fleming worked with the two doctors in the period before Perry's death to obtain large quantities of ketamine for him.

Sangha, meanwhile, is accused of supplying Perry with the ketamine doses that ultimately killed him, U.S. Attorney E. Martin Estrada said at a press conference.

Sangha began supplying Perry with ketamine in mid-October – just days before his death, according to prosecutors.

She is charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine, operating a drug-addicted premises, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of ketamine with intent to distribute, and five counts of distribution of ketamine.

She was not directly charged with McLaury's death.

Sangha has pleaded not guilty to the charges.