Joseph Strange, who worked for Eminem for fourteen years in Michigan, admitted his guilt before the American federal courts for copyright infringement. Accused of having sold unreleased recordings of the rapper, some of which have been broadcast millions of times on the Internet, he faces up to five years in prison.
The former employee ofEminemprosecuted for having sold unreleased songs by the rapper, pleaded guilty to copyright infringement before the American federal courts.
The US Department of Justice announced Thursday October 22 that Joseph Strange, 48, had admitted the facts in federal court in the Eastern District of Michigan. The man had worked for Eminem from 2007 to 2021, notably in his recording studio located in Ferndale, near Detroit.
The case dates back to January 2025, when collaborators of the rapper discovered that several of his unreleased recordings were circulating on the Internet and being offered for sale. The FBI is then alerted. During their investigation, federal agents were able to identify several buyers, who named Joseph Strange as the person who sold them the files.
According to court documents, the former employee notably had access to password-protected hard drives on which songs still in production were stored. He allegedly copied at least ten audio files without authorization, before reselling them on the Internet between July and August 2024, for a total amount of around $50,000.
“Joseph Strange abused the trust placed in him to illegally copy and sell unreleased tracks belonging to Eminem, profiting from works that had not yet been authorized for distribution”said A. Tysen Duva, assistant attorney general for the criminal division of the United States Department of Justice.
“His actions infringed both the legal and artistic rights of the musician. Our division remains committed to protecting intellectual property, pursuing those who seek to enrich themselves by misappropriating the work of creators, and working with law enforcement to prevent and combat these types of violations. »
Initially prosecuted for criminal copyright infringement and transporting stolen goods between several American states, Joseph Strange ultimately pleaded guilty only to the first charge.
According to the Ministry of Justice, the leaked recordings were then made available on various streaming platforms, where they had been viewed more than eight million times as of November 2025. The amount of copyright infringement is estimated at at least $750,000a sum separate from the income obtained from the sale of the files.
Joseph Strange now faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The court is due to deliver its decision on January 27, 2027.
“This guilty plea reiterates a simple principle: those who undermine the integrity of the creative work of others must be held accountable for their actions”said Jennifer Runyan, head of the FBI office in Detroit.
“We would also like to acknowledge the cooperation of Mathers Music Studio throughout the investigation. Protecting intellectual property means protecting the time, talent and livelihood of those who create those works. We will continue to treat these offenses with all the seriousness they deserve. »
A representative for Eminem did not respond to request for comment from WECB at the time of publication of the original article.
By Daniel Kreps
