Joseph Strange, who worked at the rapper’s Michigan recording studio for 14 years, faces up to five years in prison after admitting to selling unreleased recordings that were subsequently accessed more than eight million times online.
A former employee of Eminem has pleaded guilty to criminal copyright infringement after admitting to copying and selling the rapper’s unreleased music for approximately US$50,000, bringing a significant development in a case involving recordings that were never intended for public release.
Joseph Strange, 48, worked for Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, from 2007 to 2021 at his recording studio in Ferndale, Michigan. On Thursday, 22 October, he pleaded guilty in a Michigan federal court to unlawfully reproducing and selling music belonging to the Grammy-winning artist. He now faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
According to the US Department of Justice, Strange had access to password-protected hard drives containing recordings in various stages of development. His responsibilities included helping to establish and operate the studio’s computer storage system, giving him access to material that had not been authorised for release.
Between July and August 2024, Strange sold at least 10 audio files to buyers over the internet, receiving approximately US$50,000 without Eminem’s knowledge or permission. Some of the recordings had undergone professional mastering, although prosecutors said there was no certainty they would ever be commercially released.
The music subsequently appeared online and on public streaming platforms, attracting considerable attention among fans. By November 2025, the illegally distributed files had been accessed more than eight million times, with prosecutors estimating the infringement amount at a minimum of US$750,000.
The investigation began in January 2025, when employees at Eminem’s studio discovered that unreleased recordings were being offered for sale online. A photograph accompanying the listings appeared to show material taken directly from one of the studio’s hard drives. The FBI subsequently traced several purchasers, who identified Strange as the person who had supplied the music. He was formally charged in March 2025.
Among the recordings that surfaced were previously unheard collaborations with Dr. Dre and 50 Cent, as well as an alleged diss track dating from 2003 that referenced Suge Knight and Ja Rule. The leaked material spanned different periods of Eminem’s career, offering listeners access to recordings that had remained in his private archives for years.
At the time of the initial leak, Eminem’s longtime spokesperson, Dennis Dennehy, described the recordings as “demos, experiments and ideas”, stressing that they had never been intended for public consumption. The concern extended beyond the commercial value of the material to the release of unfinished work without the artist’s approval.
Following Strange’s guilty plea, Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva said the former employee had “abused a position of trust” to profit from music that Eminem had not authorised for distribution.
Strange’s lawyer, Wade G. Fink, challenged the prosecution’s characterisation of the case, telling Billboard that the circumstances were considerably more complex than publicly suggested. While acknowledging that his client had accepted responsibility for his actions, Fink said Strange was remorseful and expressed concern about the impact of the proceedings on his family.
“This is a much more complicated and nuanced matter than it is being made to seem,” Fink said.
Strange was originally charged with both criminal copyright infringement and interstate transportation of stolen goods. His guilty plea relates to the copyright offence.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on 27 January 2027, when a federal judge will determine his punishment after considering the applicable sentencing guidelines.
Images courtesy of @eminem Instagram page
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