A former studio worker charged with leaking Eminem’s music made his first court appearance, facing allegations of selling tracks for thousands in cryptocurrency.
He has officially entered his plea — not guilty, reports Detroit Free Press.
Joseph Strange, 46, appeared in a Detroit federal court on Monday, facing charges of criminal copyright infringement and transporting stolen goods. Prosecutors say he sold over two dozen unreleased Eminem tracks online last year, cashing in about $50,000 in Bitcoin.
Strange worked at Eminem’s Ferndale studio for over a decade before being let go in 2021. When the FBI searched his home, they reportedly found hard drives packed with music files, including unfinished Eminem songs and a tracklist identical to one stored at the studio.
For now, Strange is out on a $10,000 bond but has been ordered to stay away from anyone involved in the case. His next court date is set for April 14.
Eminem’s team is not taking this lightly, thanking the FBI for stepping in. “We will continue to take any and all steps necessary to protect Eminem’s art”, his spokesperson said.
