Brothers Who Posed as Arab Royalty Sentenced for $21 Million Fraud Scheme
Two Ohio brothers who pretended to be Middle Eastern royalty have been sentenced for their involvement in a series of fraudulent schemes totaling approximately $21 million. Zubair Al Zubair, 42, and Muzzammil Al Zubair, 31, were sentenced on Tuesday, May 5, to 24 and 23 years in prison, respectively, according to local outlet Cleveland.
"You stole a lot of money, defrauded people, and put East Cleveland in a terrible light," U.S. District Judge Donald Nugent said, addressing the brothers. "You basically flaunted it by driving around in a Rolls-Royce and taking private planes."
Prosecutors stated that the crimes were carried out with the assistance of a former East Cleveland mayoral aide. Michael Smedley, 56, the former mayoral chief of staff, was also sentenced to just over eight years in prison for providing the brothers with the cover they needed to execute their schemes between 2020 and 2023.
Authorities said the brothers built a facade of extreme wealth and elite connections. Zubair falsely claimed to be married to a United Arab Emirates princess, while Muzzammil claimed to be a hedge fund manager based solely on watching YouTube videos. Their lavish lifestyle included private jets, luxury watches, a fleet of high-end vehicles, dozens of firearms, and even a custom-made, gold-plated AK-47-style rifle. They also chartered private jets for domestic and international shopping trips to destinations such as Aspen, Miami, London, Bucharest, and Madrid.
Prosecutors said that over the years, the brothers carried out multiple schemes to steal money and property from victims, including Zubair's former girlfriend from the UAE, who lost $737,000. Another major scheme involved the brothers allegedly bilking a Chinese investor out of nearly $18 million by falsely claiming they owned an industrial complex and would bring a cryptocurrency business to the site.
To facilitate their crimes, prosecutors said the pair corrupted Smedley with expensive gifts and meals, cash payments, Cleveland Browns suite tickets, prized Japanese wagyu beef, cigars, upscale dining, and promises of future employment. In exchange, Smedley abused his city position to assist the brothers. He was accused of attempting to secure state funding for their businesses, providing official city letterhead, issuing them police credentials, and formally appointing Zubair as an "International Economic Advisor" for East Cleveland.
Following a two-week trial, all three men were convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit bribery involving programs receiving federal funds, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, and Hobbs Act conspiracy. The brothers were additionally convicted of multiple counts of wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of government funds. Zubair was also convicted of willful failure to file tax returns.
