What to know:

Joseph Strange, 48, of Holly, Michigan, pleaded guilty to criminal copyright infringement involving unreleased music by rapper Eminem.

Prosecutors said Strange sold the unreleased music online for about $50,000.

Strange worked for Eminem, whose legal name is Marshall Mathers, from about 2007 to 2021.

He worked at a Ferndale studio and had access to password-protected hard drives containing unreleased music.

According to court documents, Strange copied at least 10 audio files without authorization.

Between July and August 2024, he sold and transmitted at least 10 files to buyers online, prosecutors said.

The files eventually appeared online and became available on public streaming platforms without Eminem's knowledge or permission.

Some of the music had undergone studio mastering in preparation for possible commercial release, but a release was neither imminent nor certain, prosecutors said.

Former employee of rapper Eminem, Joseph Strange, 48, of Holly, pleaded guilty to criminal copyright infringement after copying and selling the artist's unreleased music for about $50,000, federal prosecutors said.

Strange pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 27, 2027, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

According to court documents, Strange worked for Marshall Mathers, known professionally as Eminem, from about 2007 to 2021.

He worked at a studio in Ferndale, where Mathers created and developed music for potential future release.

Prosecutors said Strange helped set up and operate a computer system used to store Mathers' music and had access to password-protected hard drives containing unreleased material.

At some point during his employment, Strange copied at least 10 audio files containing music and other material in various stages of development without authorization, according to court documents.

Between July and August 2024, Strange sold and transmitted at least 10 files to buyers online and received about $50,000, prosecutors said.

The files eventually appeared online an

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