- Two Ohio brothers sentenced to 24 and 23 years for $21 million fraud scheme
- They posed as Middle Eastern royalty and hedge fund managers to deceive victims
- Victims included a former girlfriend and a Chinese investor defrauded of $18 million
Two Ohio brothers who posed as Middle Eastern royalty to facilitate a multi-year, $21 million fraud scheme were sentenced on May 5 to significant prison terms. According to the New York Post, Zubair Al Zubair, 42, and Muzzammil Al Zubair, 31, were sentenced to 24 years and 23 years in federal prison, respectively, for a series of crimes that involved bribery, luxury spending, and "significant" restitution.
"You stole a lot of money, defrauded people, and put East Cleveland in a terrible light. You basically flaunted it by driving around in a Rolls-Royce and taking private planes," US District Judge Donald Nugent said, referring to the brothers.
They corrupted Michael Smedley, a former East Cleveland mayoral aide, with cash, Japanese wagyu beef, and Browns tickets to provide cover for their operations. Smedley was also sentenced to just over eight years in prison for helping shield the brothers' schemes.
The Fraud
Authorities said the brothers fabricated an image of extreme wealth and elite connections. Zubair falsely claimed he was married to a United Arab Emirates princess, while Muzzammil posed as a hedge fund manager based solely on watching YouTube videos. Prosecutors said the brothers ran multiple schemes over several years to steal money and property from victims. One victim was Zubair's former girlfriend from the UAE, who lost $737,000, according to Cleveland.com.
Between 2020 and 2023, the pair ran scams involving cryptocurrency, COVID-19 relief funds, and fake investment opportunities, totaling roughly $21 million. They allegedly defrauded a Chinese investor out of nearly $18 million by falsely claiming they owned a major industrial complex and intended to launch a crypto business there.
Stolen funds were used for private jets to cities like Aspen, Miami, London, and Madrid, as well as high-end cars, luxury watches, and a custom gold-plated AK-47-style rifle.
To carry out their crimes, prosecutors said the pair bribed East Cleveland's mayoral chief of staff, 56-year-old Michael Smedley. They gave him expensive gifts and meals, cash payments, Cleveland Browns suite tickets, Japanese wagyu beef, cigars, upscale dining, and promises of future employment. In return for the bribes, prosecutors said Smedley abused his city position. He allegedly tried to secure state funding for their businesses, gave them official city letterhead, issued police credentials, and formally named Zubair an "International Economic Advisor" for East Cleveland.
The Sentence
After a two-week trial, a federal jury convicted all three men of conspiracy to commit bribery involving programs receiving federal funds, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, and Hobbs Act conspiracy.
The brothers were also convicted of multiple counts of wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of government funds. Zubair was additionally convicted of willful failure to file tax returns.
