One of Eminem‘s former employees has been arrested and charged with stealing and then selling unreleased music from the legendary rapper.
Detroit’s local ABC station reports that 46-year-old Joseph Strange has been hit with federal charges of criminal infringement of a copyright and interstate transportation of stolen goods.
News of the leaked music first surfaced in January, with a spokesperson for Em even releasing a statement about the matter to Billboard.
“These leaked songs were studio efforts never meant for public consumption … demos, experiments and ideas that are dated and not relevant so many years later,” Dennis Dennehy said. “The latest in a line of unfinished material released against artists’ will and without their permission.”
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According to legal documents, the FBI began investigating after receiving a tip in January from Eminem’s studio employees, who discovered his unreleased music online.
Strange, who worked for Em from 2007 to 2021, was one of only four people with access to the drives. Prosecutors allege he sold the music to an Ontario-based buyer known as “Doja Rat” for $50,000 in Bitcoin. The leaked songs matched files on a studio hard drive last accessed in 2019-2020 while Strange was employed.
On January 28, FBI agents searched Strange’s home, finding original Eminem lyric sheets, a VHS tape with unreleased music and hard drives containing 12,000 audio files, including Em and other artists’ work.
“This investigation underscores the FBI’s commitment to safeguarding artists’ intellectual property from exploitation by individuals seeking to profit illegally,” FBI Special Agent in Charge of Michigan Cheyvoryea Gibson said in a statement. “Thanks to the cooperation of Mathers Music Studio, FBI agents from the Oakland County Resident Agency were able to swiftly enforce federal laws and ensure Joseph Strange was held accountable for his actions.”
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In other Eminem news, the “Lose Yourself” rapper is reportedly in talks to join an ownership group that will attempt to bring a WNBA team to his hometown of Detroit.
Last week, TMZ reported that Marshall has had some preliminary discussions to become a part-owner of the potential expansion team, which already includes Jared Goff, Grant Hill and Chris Webber at the helm.
![Redman Details Eminem's Excited Reaction To 'Muddy Waters Too': '[We] Texted For 3 Hours'](https://app.hiphopdx.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Eminem-Texted-Redman-For-3-Hours-While-Listening-To-His-New-Album.jpg?w=250)
The WNBA currently features 13 teams, which will expand to 15 in 2026 with the already-confirmed Portland and Toronto. In 2028, the league will add one at least one more – and Detroit has already put their bid in.
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WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert is set to make a decision in the next year or so.
