CLEVELAND, United States — Two Ohio brothers who posed as Middle Eastern royalty have been sentenced to more than two decades in prison each after being convicted in a sprawling fraud and bribery scheme that prosecutors say defrauded victims of about $21 million.
Zubair Al Zubair, 42, was sentenced to 24 years in prison, while his brother Muzzammil Al Zubair, 31, received 23 years, according to local reports.
The sentencing followed their conviction on multiple federal charges, including wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy-related offences.
A third co-accused, Michael Smedley, a former East Cleveland mayoral aide, was also sentenced to just over eight years in prison for his role in facilitating the scheme.
During sentencing, US District Judge Donald Nugent condemned the scale of the deception and misuse of public trust.
“You stole a lot of money, defrauded people, and put East Cleveland in a terrible light,” the judge said. “You basically flaunted it by driving around in a Rolls-Royce and taking private planes.”
Prosecutors said the brothers constructed an elaborate fake identity, with Zubair falsely claiming to be married to a United Arab Emirates princess, while Muzzammil presented himself as a hedge fund manager based largely on self-taught online research.
The pair allegedly built a luxury-driven persona involving private jets, high-end vehicles, luxury watches, firearms, and even a custom gold-plated AK-47-style rifle.
Their activities included frequent international shopping trips to cities such as London, Madrid, Miami, Aspen, and Bucharest.
Investigators said the fraud schemes targeted multiple victims, including Zubair’s former girlfriend in the United Arab Emirates, who lost approximately $737,000, and a Chinese investor who was allegedly defrauded of nearly $18 million through a fake cryptocurrency investment tied to a non-existent industrial project.
Authorities also detailed how the brothers allegedly bribed Smedley with cash, gifts, luxury experiences, and professional promises in exchange for access to public office influence.
In return, Smedley reportedly used his position to provide official city letterhead, assist in attempts to secure public funding, issue police credentials, and appoint Zubair as an “International Economic Advisor” for East Cleveland.
Prosecutors said the scheme ran between 2020 and 2023 and involved corruption across both private and public sectors, exploiting false claims of wealth and international connections.
Following a two-week trial, a federal jury convicted all three defendants on charges including conspiracy to commit bribery involving federally funded programmes, honest services wire fraud, and Hobbs Act conspiracy.
The brothers also faced additional convictions for tax-related violations and financial crimes.
