A former employee who spent 14 years working with Eminem could soon be trading the recording studio for a prison cell after admitting to stealing and selling the rapper’s unreleased music for thousands of dollars.
Joseph Strange, 48, of Holly, Michigan, pleaded guilty to criminal copyright infringement in federal court on Thursday, October 22. The former studio engineer admitted to illegally copying and distributing music belonging to the Detroit rap legend, whose real name is Marshall Mathers.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Strange made approximately $50,000 selling the recordings online. However, federal authorities estimate the infringement value of the stolen material at no less than $750,000.
Strange now faces up to five years in federal prison, with sentencing scheduled for January 27, 2027.
Strange worked for Eminem between 2007 and 2021, holding a position at the rapper’s recording studio in Ferndale, Michigan.
During that time, he helped establish and maintain computer systems that stored Eminem’s recordings, including unfinished projects and material intended for possible future releases.
His responsibilities gave him access to password-protected hard drives containing music that had not been approved for public distribution.
Prosecutors revealed that Strange secretly copied “10 or more audio files” without authorization.
Between July and August 2024, three years after his employment ended, Strange sold and transmitted at least 10 of those files to buyers over the internet, collecting approximately $50,000.
Eminem reportedly had no knowledge of the transactions and never authorized the recordings to be sold.
The stolen music eventually surfaced on public streaming platforms, where listeners gained access to material the rapper had never officially released.
By November 2025, streaming records showed that the unauthorized recordings had accumulated more than eight million plays.
Federal officials emphasized that some of the stolen material had undergone professional mastering, although there was no guarantee Eminem would ever release those songs commercially.
The investigation began in January 2025 after employees at Eminem’s studio discovered unreleased recordings circulating online.
Staff members also found an image showing a list of unreleased music being offered for sale. They recognized it as coming directly from a studio hard drive.
Investigators eventually tracked down individuals who purchased the recordings, leading them to Strange.
According to an earlier FBI affidavit, one buyer reported paying approximately $50,000 in Bitcoin for 25 unreleased Eminem songs.
When federal agents searched Strange’s home in January 2025, they reportedly discovered hard drives containing thousands of audio files, handwritten Eminem lyrics, studio notes, and a VHS tape featuring an unreleased music video.
Strange was initially charged in March 2025 with criminal copyright infringement and interstate transportation of stolen goods. Under a subsequently reported plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to drop the more serious stolen-goods charge, which carried a maximum 10-year prison sentence.
Following the guilty plea, federal authorities made it clear that an employee’s access to an artist’s work does not give them permission to distribute or profit from it.
“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.
Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office, described the outcome as reinforcing “a simple principle” concerning ownership and creative rights.
“Detroit has always been a city where creativity thrives, and no one has the right to steal or profit from another artist’s work without their permission,” Runyan said.
Eminem’s spokesperson, Dennis Dennehy, previously expressed frustration over Strange’s actions and the impact on the rapper’s catalog.
“As we stated at the outset of this case, the significant damage caused by Joe Strange cannot be overstated,” Dennehy stated in September.
The spokesperson also said Strange had been trusted with protecting Eminem’s creative work and called for substantial punishment.
Strange is expected to return to federal court on January 27, 2027, when a judge will determine his sentence.
Although he faces a maximum of five years behind bars, the final punishment will depend on federal sentencing guidelines and other factors reviewed by the court.
