A former sound engineer who worked for rap superstar Eminem has been charged with stealing and selling unreleased music tracks, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Joseph Strange, 46, of Holly, Michigan, faces charges of criminal copyright infringement and interstate transportation of stolen goods after allegedly leaking over 25 unreleased Eminem songs online without authorization.
According to prosecutors, Strange worked at Eminem's Effigy studio in Michigan from 2007 to 2021. The criminal complaint states that the songs were created between 1999 and 2018 and were in various stages of development when they were leaked.
The investigation began when studio employees discovered unreleased music appearing on platforms like YouTube and Reddit. They recognized a list of the unreleased tracks from a studio hard drive being sold online.
The FBI investigation revealed that Strange allegedly sold the music to a Canadian buyer for approximately $50,000 in Bitcoin payments over six months. The buyer reportedly raised funds with help from online Eminem fans, paying $8,500 for just four songs in one transaction.
During a search of Strange's residence, FBI agents found hard drives containing the unreleased music, financial records of payments, and original handwritten lyrics by Eminem.
"The damage caused by a trusted employee to Eminem's artistic legacy and creative integrity cannot be overstated," said Dennis Dennehy, Eminem's spokesperson, in a statement expressing gratitude for the FBI's investigation.
If convicted, Strange faces up to 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for copyright infringement, plus up to 10 years for interstate transportation of stolen goods.
Strange's attorney Wade Fink called the charges "untested allegations" and said they would address the matter in court.