A former sound engineer for Eminem has been charged with stealing, leaking, and selling the rapper’s unreleased music for approximately $50,000 in Bitcoin. U.S. authorities have charged Joseph Strange, a 46-year-old from Michigan, with criminal copyright infringement and interstate transportation of stolen goods, according to a press release by the U.S. Department of Justice. Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck and Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge at the FBI Detroit Field Office, announced the charges. If convicted, Strange could face up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
According to the New York Times, Strange allegedly sold around 25 songs that Eminem wrote between 1999 and 2018 for $50,000 in Bitcoin. The DOJ reported that the FBI identified several individuals who bought the unreleased music, and they named Strange as the seller. Some fans admitted to purchasing songs directly from Strange, with one reportedly paying $1,000 for two tracks, likely in Bitcoin. These buyers were not charged.
Strange had access to the studio’s password-protected hard drives of Eminem music during his employment from 2007 to 2021. Studio employees in Michigan alerted the FBI in January 2025 after discovering unreleased tracks online for sale. These tracks were also shared on platforms like YouTube and Reddit. Fredwreck, a longtime collaborator of Eminem, threatened the leaker with retribution according to “street law” in a now-deleted post. A tip from an Eminem fan using the screen name Doja Rat helped crack the case. This Canadian fan confessed to purchasing the tracks starting in summer 2024, having collected $50,000 from a group of Eminem enthusiasts.
During a search of Strange’s home, the FBI reportedly found thousands of music files, Eminem’s handwritten lyric sheets, and a VHS tape of an unreleased music video. It is presumed that Strange intended to make further sales in exchange for Bitcoin.
In a statement to The Detroit Free Press, Eminem’s representative described the leak as causing significant damage to the rapper’s artistic legacy and creative integrity, resulting in substantial financial losses for many involved. The leaked tracks were described as “experiments” and “studio efforts never meant for public consumption.”
Twitter: A former Eminem employee leaked 25+ songs for over $50K in Bitcoin, according to the FBI. The engineer allegedly sold unreleased tracks, leading to significant damage to Eminem’s legacy and financial losses. #Eminem #MusicLeak #Bitcoin
