The FBI is currently investigating complaints to determine whether they seek a felony charge.
A former employee of rapper Marshall Mothers, well known by his stage name Eminem, was named in a criminal charge that allegedly steals and sells unreleased music from a record producer and sells it online.
According to criminal charges, employees at Effigy Studios, a Ferndale-based recording studio owned by Mathers, worked the FBI in January after discovering the rapper’s unreleased songs online.
“This music was still in the process of being developed by Mathers. Employees got images of the list of music created by Mathers, but it had not been released and was sold on various internet sites,” the press release states.
“Employees recognized this as an image taken directly from a Ferndale Studios hard drive.”
The agent found multiple buyers who purchased unreleased tracks from Mathers. They said the strange thing they worked with the rapper from 2007 to 2021.
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Strange faces a five-year fine and a maximum of $250,000 in prison if convicted of criminal copyright infringement. He could also receive it in prison for up to 10 years if convicted of interstate transport of stolen goods.
“This investigation underscores the FBI’s commitment to protecting artists’ intellectual property from exploitation by individuals seeking illegal benefits,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, a special agent in the Michigan FBI office.
The US Lawyer’s Office noted that the complaint is not evidence of guilt. Once the FBI completes the investigation, prosecutors will decide whether to seek felony charges.
Strange’s lawyer Wade Fink said Strange was “a married father of two who have been committed to the music industry for decades. He described the charge as an “untested allegation” and noted that it has not been reviewed by a large juice or judge.
“We handle matters in court and have great trust in judges in our district,” Fink added.
Eminem will perform at the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show held in Inglewood, California on February 13th, 2022. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
The Epoch Times reached out to Fink for additional comment.
A representative for the 52-year-old Mathers could not be immediately contacted for comment.
Mathers released their debut album “Infinite” in 1996. He rose to fame three years later with the release of his sophomore album The Slim Shady LP, and in 2000 he won his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.
Subsequent albums included “The Eminem Show” (2002), “Encore” (2004), “Recovery” (2010), and “Revival” (2017).
