Ferndale, MI (September 15, 2026)—A new federal filing against a former Eminem recording engineer who allegedly stole and sold previously unreleased recordings suggests that the 18-month-old case may be nearing a conclusion.
According to reports, federal prosecutors on the case against Joseph Strange, who worked at Matthers’ studio from 2007 until he was let go in 2021, have filed a one-count criminal information—a charging document that often signals a negotiated guilty plea is coming.
Strange, who set up and operated the DAW system at the studio in Ferndale, Mich., was charged with willfully copying and distributing the copyrighted music for commercial advantage and personal financial gain.
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According to this latest filing, Strange, who was originally charged on March 19, 2025, allegedly distributed at least 10 unauthorized copies of Eminem’s music between July 2024 and January 2025. The new document would replace 2025’s two-charge complaint with a single count of criminal copyright infringement. According to the new filing, the copyrighted material carried a combined retail value exceeding $2,500.
Studio employees alerted the FBI after recognizing the recordings, which are believed to be largely demos and unfinished drafts, when they began to appear online on Reddit and YouTube in January, 2025. Strange was one of only four people with access to the tracks, including Mathers’ manager and two other engineers; the music in question was created between 1999 and 2018 and was stored on a password-protected drive in a locked safe at the studio.
Investigations led to a Canadian using the screen name Doja Rat, who is said to have paid nearly $50,000 in Bitcoin to purchase several tracks from someone using the alias Dope Edit, who turned out to be Joseph Strange. A search of Strange’s home in Michigan reportedly uncovered 12,000 audio files as well as Eminem’s handwritten lyrics and an unreleased music video. A review of the original hard drive at the studio, which had not been accessed in years, indicated that files were removed on October 16, 2019, and again on January 16, 2020.
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The original case against Strange included interstate transportation of stolen property in addition to copyright infringement, which together are potentially punishable by a 15-year sentence. The latest filing does not include a signed plea agreement, recommended sentence or a deadline by which Strange must formally admit his guilt, allhiphop.com reports. However, The Detroit News reports Strange is scheduled to plead guilty on October 22 in U.S. District Court.
The court will have to approve any agreement before a proposed resolution can be finalized. If a judge does accept a guilty plea, Strange would likely face a money judgment equal to his profits. According to the new filing, prosecutors intend to seize property used to commit the offense and anything purchased with proceeds from the alleged sales.
