Ohio Siblings Sentenced in $21M Fraud: The Untold Story of Their Royal Ruse

Two siblings from Ohio, who falsely claimed to be royalty from the Middle East, faced sentencing on Tuesday for orchestrating a series of fraudulent activities amounting to approximately $21 million. These scams were allegedly executed with assistance from a former aide to the mayor of East Cleveland.

Zubair and Muzzammil Al Zubair, aged around 42 and 31, received prison sentences of 24 and 23 years, respectively, as reported by Cleveland media.

U.S. District Judge Donald Nugent commented on the case, stating, “You stole a significant amount of money, deceived individuals, and tarnished East Cleveland’s reputation. Your ostentatious behavior included driving a Rolls Royce and flying on private jets.”

Michael Smedley, the 56-year-old chief of staff who accepted bribes to facilitate the brothers’ fraudulent operations from 2020 to 2023, was sentenced to more than eight years in prison, according to the report.

A shopper navigates the Mall of Emirates in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Friday, December 27, 2019. (Photo by Christopher Pike/Bloomberg)

Authorities said the brothers built a façade of extreme wealth and elite connections, with Zubair falsely claiming to be married to a United Arab Emirates princess, and Muzzammil claiming to be a hedge fund manager based solely on watching 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.