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).
The allegations, detailed in a criminal criticism filed in Michigan, reveal that Strange allegedly sold 25 unfinished tracks to a Canadian buyer for roughly $50,000 in cryptocurrency.
Unreleased Tracks For Bitcoin
According to federal prosecutors, Strange, 46, worked for Eminem from 2007 to 2021 at Effigy, the rapper’s recording studio situated in Michigan. Prosecutors claim that he “unlawfully” took the unreleased music and, after meeting a person online, facilitated the sale of those tracks in exchange for Bitcoin.
The criticism states that employees at Effigy discovered among the stolen songs available on various online platforms, including YouTube and Reddit, prompting an FBI investigation.
Wade Fink, Strange’s attorney, emphasized that a criminal criticism consists of allegations which have yet to be tested in a courtroom. “It’s necessary for people to know that a criminal criticism is merely a set of allegations signed by a prosecutor and publicized by press release,” he stated, underscoring the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
A spokesperson for Eminem expressed deep concern over the incident, highlighting the numerous damage caused to the rapper’s artistic legacy and the financial losses incurred by those involved within the creative process.
“The big financial losses incurred by the various creators and collaborators that deserve protection for his or her many years of labor can’t be overstated,” the spokesperson said.
Copyright Infringement And Stolen Goods
Strange is facing serious charges, including criminal infringement of copyright and interstate transportation of stolen goods. If convicted of copyright infringement, he could withstand five years in prison and a wonderful of as much as $250,000. The fees for interstate transportation carry a possible maximum penalty of ten years behind bars.
Interestingly, the investigation revealed that Strange was “heavily involved” on this planet of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency mining. Witnesses indicated that he insisted on receiving payment solely in Bitcoin, a detail that adds one other layer of complexity to the case.
This incident will not be the primary 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.
On the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at around $84,139, which is a 14% retracement on a monthly basis after the huge market sell-off that took place last month.
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