Matthew Perry’s stepmother calls the pain “irreversible”, seeks maximum term for Jasveen Sangha

Highlights

• Debbie Perry calls for the maximum prison term in a victim impact statement
• Describes the harm caused as lasting and widespread
• Case centres on the supply of ketamine linked to the actor’s death

A family’s appeal to the court

Debbie Perry, stepmother of Matthew Perry, has urged the court to impose the toughest possible sentence on Jasveen Sangha, setting out the depth of loss felt by the family.

In her victim impact statement, she spoke of grief that continues to shape daily life, saying the consequences of the case extend far beyond one household. She told the court that the damage caused cannot be undone and continues to affect many.

Direct message to the accused

Addressing Sangha in her statement, Debbie questioned how someone with business ability chose a path that caused harm. She suggested that such decisions had brought lasting pain to families, including her own.

She ended her statement by asking the court to ensure Sangha cannot cause similar suffering again, calling for the maximum prison sentence.

Death that prompted investigation

Perry died in October 2023 at the age of 54 at his home in Pacific Palisades. The cause was linked to the acute effects of ketamine. He had long spoken publicly about his struggles with addiction, including in his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.

Multiple guilty pleas in the case

Five people were charged in August 2024 following an investigation into the source of the drug. The group included two doctors and Perry’s live-in assistant.

Kenneth Iwamasa, Erik Fleming and Dr Mark Chavez pleaded guilty soon after their arrests. Sangha entered her plea in September 2025 as part of an agreement with prosecutors. Salvador Plasencia, known as Dr P, also pleaded guilty earlier to four counts related to ketamine distribution.