Former Eminem employee pleads guilty over sale of unreleased songs

Joseph Strange, a former Eminem employee, pleaded guilty in federal court in the Eastern District of Michigan to criminal infringement of a copyright for copying and selling the rapper's unreleased songs without permission. The U.S. Department of Justice announced the plea on Thursday.

Strange, 48, of Holly, Michigan, worked for Eminem in Detroit from 2007 to 2021, a span of 14 years. Under the plea agreement filed in court, he admitted to copying at least 10 audio files from a password-protected drive he had access to, then selling and transmitting them. The songs were leaked online and streamed more than 8,000,000 times. The songs are also alleged to have been sold for $50,000.

How the investigation began

According to the criminal complaint, Eminem learned in January 2025 that his unreleased music was being sold online, and the FBI was alerted. The music was stored on password-protected hard drives not connected to the internet, in a private studio open only to a small number of employees and invited guests. Investigators reached multiple people who had bought the songs; they identified Strange as the seller. The FBI charged Strange in March 2025.

The Justice Department said Strange abused a position of trust to access music not authorized for release, and that his actions "undermined both legal and artistic rights." Strange was initially also charged with interstate transportation of stolen goods, but pleaded guilty only to the copyright charge.