A former employee of rapper Marshall Mathers, better known by his stage name Eminem, has been named in a criminal complaint for allegedly stealing the record producer’s unreleased music and selling it online.
According to the criminal complaint, employees at Effigy Studios—a Ferndale-based recording studio owned by Mathers—contacted the FBI in January after discovering some of the rapper’s unreleased songs online.
“This music was still in the process of being developed by Mathers. The employees obtained an image of a list of the music that Mathers had created, but not released, and was for sale through various internet sites,” the press release states.
“The employees recognized this as an image taken directly from a hard drive in the Ferndale studio.”
Agents located multiple buyers who had purchased Mathers’s unreleased tracks. They said Strange—who worked with the rapper from 2007 until 2021—sold them the music.
Strange faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted on the charge of criminal copyright infringement. He could also receive a maximum of 10 years in prison if convicted on the charge of interstate transportation of stolen goods.
“This investigation underscores the FBI’s commitment to safeguarding artists’ intellectual property from exploitation by individuals seeking to profit illegally,” Cheyvoryea Gibson, a special agent in charge of the FBI office in Michigan, said in a statement.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office noted that a complaint is not proof of guilt. Once the FBI completes its investigation, prosecutors will determine whether to seek a felony indictment.
Strange’s attorney, Wade Fink, said Strange is a married father of two “with decades of dedication to the music industry.” He described the charges as “untested allegations,” noting that they have not been reviewed by a grand jury or a judge.
“We will handle the matter in a courtroom and we have great faith in the judges of our district,” Fink added.
The Epoch Times reached out to Fink for additional comment.
A representative for Mathers, 52, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Mathers released his debut album, “Infinite,” in 1996. He rose to fame three years later with the launch of his sophomore album, “The Slim Shady LP,” which garnered him his first Grammy Award for “Best Rap Album” in 2000.
Subsequent albums include “The Eminem Show” (2002), “Encore” (2004), “Recovery” (2010), and “Revival” (2017).
