Two brothers from Ohio, who masqueraded as Middle Eastern royalty, were sentenced on Tuesday for orchestrating a series of fraud schemes amounting to approximately $21 million. Prosecutors stated that they executed these schemes with the assistance of a former aide to the East Cleveland mayor.
Zubair and Muzzammil Al Zubair, aged around 42 and 31 respectively, received sentences of 24 and 23 years in prison, as reported by Cleveland news outlets.
U.S. District Judge Donald Nugent addressed the brothers, saying, “You stole a significant amount of money, deceived individuals, and cast East Cleveland in a negative light. You essentially flaunted your actions by riding in a Rolls Royce and chartering private jets.”
Michael Smedley, the former mayoral chief of staff who accepted bribes from the brothers, was sentenced to just over eight years in prison. His role was pivotal in providing the cover needed for the brothers’ fraudulent activities, which spanned from 2020 to 2023.
A photograph of a shopper at the Mall of Emirates in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, taken in December 2019 by Christopher Pike for Bloomberg, paints a scene of luxury the brothers aspired to mimic.
The Al Zubair brothers curated an image of immense wealth and prestigious connections. Zubair falsely claimed to be married to a United Arab Emirates princess, while Muzzammil pretended to be a hedge fund manager, basing his knowledge solely on YouTube videos.
Their lavish lifestyle ultimately 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, according to federal officials.
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, the outlet Cleveland reported.
A Rolls Royce vehicle drives down Rodeo Blvd. in Beverly Hills on October 19, 2006. (Richard Hartog/Los Angeles Times)
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, the outlet said.
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, prosecutors said 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.
Seats onboard a Dassault Falcon 6X business jet on display on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg)
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 additionally convicted of willful failure to file tax returns.
