Former Eminem Employee Pleads Guilty to Criminal Infringement of Copyright

Joseph Strange, 48, of Holly, Michigan, who was formerly employed by the artist and musician Marshall Mathers (also known as Eminem), pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Michigan to a charge related to his role in the reproduction and sale of unreleased music created by Eminem. 

“Joseph Strange abused a position of trust to unlawfully copy and sell unreleased music belonging to Eminem, profiting from works that were not yet authorized for public distribution,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His conduct undermined both legal and artistic rights. The Criminal Division remains committed to protecting intellectual property, holding accountable those who seek to profit from theft of creative content, and working with our law enforcement partners to deter and disrupt these crimes.”

“Our republic is built on the right to property,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan. “We will protect that right by punishing criminals who steal the physical or intellectual property of Americans.” 

“Detroit has always been a city where creativity thrives, and no one has the right to steal or profit from another artist’s work without their permission,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “Today’s guilty plea reinforces a simple principle: accountability follows those who compromise the integrity of another person’s creative labor. I want to commend the outstanding work of our FBI Oakland County Resident Agency and the entire investigative team, whose persistence and professionalism drove this case forward. We also appreciate the cooperation of Mathers Music Studio throughout the investigation. Protecting intellectual property means protecting the time, talent, and livelihoods behind it, and we will continue to treat these violations with the seriousness they deserve.”