Eminem's Former Sound Engineer Charged with Stealing Unreleased Tracks and Selling Them for Bitcoin

Joseph Strange, a former sound engineer for acclaimed rapper Eminem, has been charged with stealing the rapper's unreleased songs and selling them in exchange for the market's leading cryptocurrency, Bitcoin (BTC).

A former sound engineer for acclaimed rapper Eminem has been charged with stealing unreleased songs and selling them in exchange for the market’s leading cryptocurrency, Bitcoin (BTC).

The allegations, outlined in a criminal complaint filed in Michigan and seen by Law360, claim that Joseph Strange sold 25 unfinished tracks to a Canadian buyer for approximately $50,000 in cryptocurrency. The tracks were reportedly part of a larger batch of about 36 tracks that were stolen from Effigy, Eminem’s recording studio located in Michigan.

Strange, 46, worked for Eminem from 2007 to 2021 at the studio. According to the complaint, he “unlawfully” took the unreleased music and, after meeting a man named on-line, facilitated the sale of these tracks in exchange for Bitcoin.

Employees at Effigy discovered some of the stolen songs available on various online platforms, including YouTube and Reddit, prompting an FBI investigation. The investigation revealed that Strange was “heavily involved” in the world of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency mining and insisted on receiving payment solely in the cryptocurrency.

However, a spokesperson for Eminem expressed deep concern over the incident, highlighting the significant damage caused to the rapper’s artistic legacy and the financial losses incurred by those involved in the creative process.

“The enormous financial losses incurred by the many creators and collaborators that deserve protection for their decades of work cannot be overstated,” the spokesperson said.

Strange is facing serious charges, including criminal infringement of copyright and interstate transportation of stolen goods. If convicted of copyright infringement, he faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges for interstate transportation carry a potential maximum penalty of ten years behind bars.

Fink, Strange’s attorney, emphasized that a criminal complaint consists of allegations that have yet to be tested in a courtroom.

“It’s important for people to understand that a criminal complaint is merely a set of allegations signed by a prosecutor and publicized by press release,” he stated, adding that Strange will respond to the charges in court and is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

This incident is not the first time Eminem has faced issues with leaked music. In 2002, unauthorized tracks from his album “The Eminem Show” were sold online before their official release, which forced the rapper to expedite the album’s launch to mitigate financial damages.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at around $84,139, which is a 14% retracement on a monthly basis after the massive market sell-off that took place last month.