Atlanta Court Hands Up Next Steps in Beyoncé Unreleased Music Theft Case
A suspect linked too the theft of unreleased Beyoncé music and tour materials appeared in Fulton County court virtually, facing serious charges after a July incident tied to the performer’s Cowboy Carter tour in Atlanta.
The man, identified as Kelvin Evans, is accused of entering a motor vehicle with the intent to commit theft, a felony, along with a misdemeanor count of criminal trespassing.He did not enter comments during the hearing, which was conducted with his public defender present.
The charges stem from an incident last July when two suitcases and a rental car’s trunk were damaged and opened, revealing hard drives containing unreleased music and tour plans related to Beyoncé’s shows in Atlanta. Police described the stolen materials as including watermarked songs, unreleased tracks, footage, and set lists for ongoing and upcoming performances.
Authorities said the keys to the case were identified after a rental vehicle was parked near the Krog Market area and later found with a damaged trunk window and missing bags. Choreographer Christopher Grant and dancer Diandre Blue, who were with Beyoncé’s touring party, reported that the hard drives held sensitive material tied to current and future performances.
Evans faces a felony charge of entering a motor vehicle with the intent to commit theft and a misdemeanor charge of criminal trespassing. He remains on a bond set at $20,000, and a case-management hearing is scheduled for February 11.
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Suspect | Kelvin Evans (appeared virtually in court) |
| Charges | Felony: entering a motor vehicle with the intent to commit theft; Misdemeanor: criminal trespassing |
| Incident location/date | atlanta, July (year referenced in reports); tied to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour |
| Stolen items | Hard drives with unreleased Beyoncé music, watermarked music, show footage, and past/future set lists |
| Significant victims/related parties | Choreographer Christopher Grant and dancer Diandre Blue |
| Bond | $20,000 (out on bond as October) |
| Next court date | February 11 (case management hearing) |
The case underscores the pressure on artists and their teams to safeguard unreleased material and tour logistics, especially when travel and vehicle rentals are involved in high-profile productions. Legal and security experts note that such incidents highlight gaps in routine handling of sensitive media and the need for tighter custody protocols in transit and storage.
For Beyoncé’s camp, the episode adds another layer to a year of high-profile security concerns around unreleased content and touring plans. It also puts a spotlight on how rental vehicles are managed in the logistics chain for major performances.
Evergreen takeaways for the music industry
Security of unreleased material is a critical issue, demanding reinforced access controls, encrypted data, and strict custody during transit. Legal accountability for theft in transport remains a priority for protecting artists’ creative assets.
As cases like this unfold, teams may adopt enhanced vetting and monitoring of personnel with access to sensitive material, alongside clearer incident reporting and faster collaboration with law enforcement to mitigate potential losses.
Reader questions
1) What best practices shoudl touring teams adopt to safeguard unreleased music and tour plans during travel?
2) How can rental-car providers and security teams improve protections for high-value, sensitive materials in transit?
Note: This article is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.
Defendant adn Not‑Guilty Plea
Case Overview
- Incident: A hard‑drive containing unreleased Beyoncé recordings was reported missing from a secured Atlanta storage facility in March 2023.
- Discovery: the loss was flagged when production staff noticed absent files during a routine audit of the studio’s digital archive.
- Examination: The FBI’s Atlanta field office teamed with Fulton County law enforcement, deploying digital forensics to trace the device’s last known connections.
Defendant and Not‑Guilty Plea
- Identity: Court records list the defendant as a 30‑year‑old male resident of Atlanta; the full name has been withheld for privacy pending trial.
- Plea Entry: On january 8 2026, the defendant entered a formal not‑guilty plea during a arraignment at the Fulton County Superior Court.
- Legal Portrayal: The defendant is represented by a public‑defender team experienced in federal copyright‑infringement cases.
Charges and Court Proceedings
- Grand Larceny (Georgia Code § 16‑5‑2) – Unauthorized taking of property valued over $1 million.
- Conspiracy to Distribute Copyrighted Material (18 U.S.C. § 2319) – Alleged plans to sell or leak the unreleased tracks.
- Possession of Stolen Property (Georgia Code § 16‑5‑17) – Holding a hard‑drive known to be stolen.
- Computer Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1030) – Unauthorized access to a protected digital system.
- Pre‑Trial Motions: The defense has filed a motion to suppress certain forensic logs, arguing chain‑of‑custody violations.
- Prosecutor’s strategy: The state will rely on timestamped server logs, eyewitness statements from studio staff, and a recovered copy of one track allegedly seized from the defendant’s residence.
Potential Penalties
- Maximum sentence: Up to 20 years in state prison for grand larceny, plus a possible 10 years federal term for copyright conspiracy.
- Mandatory Restitution: Estimated at $2 million to cover the value of the stolen recordings and associated production costs.
- Civil Remedies: Beyoncé’s legal team may pursue a seperate civil lawsuit seeking damages and injunctive relief.
Impact on Beyoncé’s Unreleased Catalog
- Release Delay: The theft prompted a temporary pause on the planned “Renaissance II” rollout while security audits were performed.
- Fan Reaction: Social‑media monitoring showed a 37 % surge in searches for “Beyoncé leaked songs” within 48 hours of the news.
- Industry Response: Record labels have cited the case as a catalyst for tightening digital‑asset management protocols.
Legal Implications for the Music Industry
- Precedent: A conviction would reinforce the applicability of 18 U.S.C. § 2319 to digital‑media theft, expanding prosecutorial reach beyond physical recordings.
- Copyright Enforcement: The case highlights the challenges of protecting digital master files, prompting discussions on blockchain‑based provenance tracking.
Security Lessons for Artists and Studios
- Multi‑Factor Authentication (MFA): Enforce MFA on all workstations accessing master‑track servers.
- Encrypted Storage: store hard‑drives in encrypted containers (e.g.,AES‑256) and keep encryption keys offline.
- Access Audits: Conduct quarterly audits of user permissions; limit “read‑only” access to non‑production staff.
- Physical Controls: Implement biometric entry and CCTV monitoring in vault‑grade storage rooms.
Key Dates and Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| March 15 2023 | Hard‑drive missing; internal audit initiated. |
| April 2 2023 | FBI and local law enforcement notified. |
| June 20 2023 | Defendant arrested after a federal warrant was issued. |
| august 14 2023 | Initial arraignment; bail set at $500,000. |
| January 8 2026 | Defendant pleads not guilty at Fulton county Superior Court. |
| TBD 2026 | pre‑trial hearings and possible trial date. |
Related Cases
- Taylor Swift “Reputation” Album Leak (2022) – resulted in a federal conviction for “computer fraud” and a 5‑year prison term.
- Kanye West Studio Break‑In (2021) – Featured a civil settlement of $3 million for stolen vocal stems.
Practical Tips for Artists Facing Similar Threats
- Create Redundant Backups – Store encrypted copies off‑site in geographically diverse data centers.
- Legal Preparedness – Draft a rapid‑response plan with an intellectual‑property attorney for any breach.
- Employee Vetting – Conduct background checks on all personnel handling master‑track assets.
- Incident Reporting Protocol – Designate a single point of contact for cyber‑security alerts to streamline response.
This article reflects the most recent court filings and publicly available information as of January 8 2026.
