Two brothers and a public official were sentenced on May 5 to a total of 55 years in prison after being convicted for their roles in a multi-state and international fraud and bribery scheme. Zubair Al Zubair, Muzzamil Al Zubair, and Michael Leon Smedley were found guilty by a federal jury of conspiracy charges involving bribery, wire fraud, money laundering, theft of government funds, and other offenses.
The sentencing follows an extensive investigation that revealed the defendants defrauded victims out of millions of dollars through various schemes. The case highlights the significant consequences for those who engage in elaborate financial crimes targeting individuals, government programs, and public trust.
Judge Donald C. Nugent imposed sentences of 24 years for Zubair Al Zubair, 23 years for Muzzamil Al Zubair, and just over eight years for Michael Smedley. All three will serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment. The Al Zubair brothers must pay over $19 million in restitution to victims as well as additional amounts to the Internal Revenue Service for unpaid taxes. They were also ordered to forfeit firearms and property acquired with fraudulent proceeds.
“The Al Zubair brothers shamelessly used the illusion of being successful high rollers to defraud victims, sway a local city official into doing corrupt actions, and engage in massive fraud,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “We appreciate the work of the FBI and IRS investigators who painstakingly uncovered the layers of lies and deception… These lengthy sentences serve as a warning to others that we will not tolerate actions resulting from greed.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office is responsible for promoting community safety across northern Ohio through outreach efforts with schools and law enforcement agencies while enforcing federal criminal laws related to national security, public corruption, civil rights violations, defending civil suits against the United States government, protecting public funds through community engagement initiatives—and maintains offices in Cleveland among other cities—according to its official website.
Karen Wingerd from IRS Criminal Investigation said: “Today’s sentences send a clear and unmistakable message: elaborate fraud schemes and abuses of public trust will be met with serious consequences… Together their actions undermined confidence in both financial systems and local government.” FBI Cleveland Acting Special Agent Tori Gaskill added: “While the Al Zubair brothers’ fraud… was complex… [the] multi-agency partnership led to… an undeniable message… whether one person or as part of a criminal network… we will not relent in our pursuit to protect the American public from deceptive people.”
According to evidence presented at trial, funds obtained through investment scams—including cryptocurrency mining ventures—real estate transactions, pandemic-related emergency loans from federal programs such as those offered by Small Business Administration were spent on luxury goods including cars designer clothing expensive travel—and firearms arsenals—with some proceeds going toward bribes paid or promised by Smedley while he served as chief staffer at East Cleveland City Hall.
