Former Eminem Studio Engineer Charged with Stealing and Selling Unreleased Music
Former Eminem studio engineer, Joseph Strange, has been charged with stealing unreleased music from the Detroit rapper and selling it online, federal prosecutors announced. The FBI affidavit revealed that over 25 songs were played or distributed online without Eminem or the Interscope Capital Labels Group’s consent. The music was stored on password-protected hard drives in a safe at Eminem’s studio in Ferndale.
Strange, who was fired from Eminem’s studio in 2021, has been charged with copyright infringement and interstate transportation of stolen goods. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison. Strange’s attorney, Wade Fink, called the charges “untested allegations.”
Studio employees reported the theft in January after finding out that unreleased music was being played on various websites. Investigators found that files were transferred from a safe to an external hard drive in 2019 and 2020 when Strange worked as a sound engineer at the studio.
Buyers were found after a warning was posted online by Eminem’s business associate Fred Nassar. Canadian resident, Doja Rat, admitted to purchasing 25 unreleased songs from Strange for $50,000 in Bitcoin. The FBI search of Strange’s home revealed handwritten lyric sheets, an unreleased Eminem video, and hard drives with audio files.
Protecting intellectual property is crucial, said Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck, to safeguard the exclusive rights of creators and their work. Eminem, recognized with awards and inductions, remains a highly influential figure in the music industry.
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