Two brothers from Ohio who posed as Middle Eastern royalty have been sentenced for their roles in a series of fraud schemes totaling about $21 million.
Zubair and Muzzammil Al Zubair, aged 42 and 31, were sentenced on Tuesday, May 5, to 24 and 23 years in prison, respectively, according to reports.
“You stole a lot of money, defrauded people, and put East Cleveland in a terrible light,” U.S. District Judge Donald Nugent told the brothers. “You even flaunted it by driving around in a Rolls-Royce and using private planes.”
Prosecutors said the schemes were carried out with the assistance of a former aide to the East Cleveland mayor.
The city’s former chief of staff, 56-year-old Michael Smedley, was also sentenced to just over eight years in prison for helping facilitate the crimes between 2020 and 2023.
Authorities said the brothers created a false image of extreme wealth and elite connections. Zubair allegedly claimed he was married to a United Arab Emirates princess, while Muzzammil presented himself as a hedge fund manager despite having no formal experience beyond watching online videos.
Their lavish lifestyle reportedly included private jets, luxury watches, high-end vehicles, dozens of firearms, and even a custom-made gold-plated AK-47-style rifle.
They also chartered private jets for shopping trips to destinations including Aspen, Miami, London, Bucharest, and Madrid, federal officials said.
According to prosecutors, the brothers defrauded multiple victims over the years. One victim — Zubair’s former girlfriend from the UAE — reportedly lost $737,000.
In another major scheme, the brothers allegedly swindled a Chinese investor out of nearly $18 million by falsely claiming ownership of an industrial complex and promising to develop a cryptocurrency business there.
To support their operations, prosecutors said the pair bribed Smedley with luxury gifts, cash, Cleveland Browns suite tickets, Japanese wagyu beef, cigars, fine dining, and promises of future employment.
In return, Smedley allegedly used his official position to assist them, including attempting to secure state funding, providing city letterhead, issuing police credentials, and appointing Zubair as an “International Economic Advisor” for East Cleveland.
Following a two-week trial, all three men were found guilty by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit bribery involving federally funded programs, 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 found guilty of willfully failing to file tax returns.
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