A warehouse worker at the French branch of the MPO vinyl pressing company was sentenced today to eight months in prison for trying to illegally sell a few copies of Taylor Swift‘s upcoming reissue of Speak Now before its official release. According to French newspaper Ouest-France and a news report shared by Charts In France, the 43-year-old temporary worker was caught trying to sell 10 copies of the yet-to-be-released record online after absconding with them from the warehouse.
His translated account says he was unpacking pallets and several records fell out of a box. Recognizing the name-brand sales potential of Taylor Swift and facing apparently substantial debt, he took 10 copies home, putting out a classified ad selling them at 25 euros each. After the first two were sold, he raised his price to 50(!) euros. However, he was turned in by an MPO France human resources manager and reportedly tried to escape via his home’s rooftop when police arrived to arrest him.
According to Charts In France, the man is a repeat offender, having been convicted 24 times for theft, fraud, drug trafficking, and other offenses, leading to the eight-month sentence. He’ll also have to pay back the vinyl manufacturing company, with a future hearing to determine just how much he now owes. MPO says there “are jobs and millions of euros at stake,” should Universal pull its contract as a result of a leak. Two copies of the album remain at large and authorities are asking whoever has them to come forward or risk prosecution.
Taylor’s Version of her 2010 album Speak Now, which allegedly features collaborations with both Hayley Williams of Paramore and Fall Out Boy, is due on July 7, 2023.