Eminem’s former employee has pleaded guilty to a federal charge after stealing and selling the rapper’s unreleased songs for $50,000.
On Thursday (Oct. 22), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan announced that Joseph Strange, a former employee of Eminem, pleaded guilty to criminal copyright infringement in federal court. Strange admitted to reproducing and selling unreleased music by the Detroit rapper, whose real name is Marshall Mathers. Prosecutors allege that he stole the tracks and sold them online.
“Joseph Strange abused a position of trust to unlawfully copy and sell unreleased music belonging to Eminem, profiting from works that were not yet authorized for public distribution,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division in a statement. “His conduct undermined both legal and artistic rights. The Criminal Division remains committed to protecting intellectual property, holding accountable those who seek to profit from theft of creative content, and working with our law enforcement partners to deter and disrupt these crimes.”
According to prosecutors, Joseph Strange worked as a sound engineer for Eminem from 2007 to 2021, giving him access to the rapper’s music files. Authorities allege that Strange sold at least 10 unreleased tracks between July and August of 2024, earning a total of $50,000. After an associate of Eminem discovered that the music had leaked, they contacted the FBI, prompting an investigation that remains ongoing.
On Jan. 28, 2025, FBI agents searched Strange’s home, where they reportedly found original handwritten lyrics and recorded material belonging to Eminem inside a safe. Investigators also seized hard drives containing audio tracks, including music by the Detroit rapper and his collaborators.
Prosecutors estimate the value of the stolen files to be at least $750,000. Strange is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2027, and faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
