They posed as Middle Eastern royalty, claiming ties to a UAE princess and a hedge fund savant. But the two brothers behind a breathtaking $21 million fraud scheme weren't from Dubai or Doha. They were from Ohio.
Zubair and Muzzammil Al Zubair lived a fantasy built on lies. Their takings bought them private jets to London, luxury watches, exotic cars, and even a custom-made, gold-plated AK-47. Every purchase was a trophy from a crime they thought they'd never pay for.
Zubair insisted he was married to a real UAE princess, weaving a web of fake royal connections. Muzzammil claimed to be a brilliant hedge fund manager—but he'd learned everything from watching the HBO show "Billions" and YouTube tutorials.
One of their biggest scores came from a Chinese investor. They told her they owned a vacant industrial complex and were launching a crypto business there. The lie cost her $17.8 million. Even Zubair's own ex-girlfriend, from the UAE, lost $737,000 to the scheme.
How did they pull it off? They bribed the mayor's chief of staff, Michael Smedley, with expensive gifts, cash, Browns suite tickets, wagyu beef, cigars, and promises of future jobs. In return, Smedley gave them official titles, business cards, and letterheads that made their royal act believable.
Zubair was even appointed an "International Economic Advisor" for East Cleveland. They flaunted their wealth with Rolls-Royces and private planes, daring anyone to question them.
But the charade ended in a federal courtroom. "You stole a lot of money, defrauded people, and put East Cleveland in a terrible light," Judge Donald Nugent told them. "You basically flaunted it."
Zubair, 42, was sentenced to 24 years in prison. His brother Muzzammil, 31, got 23 years. Smedley will serve just over eight years. All three plan to appeal.
They thought they were untouchable. In the end, they were just two brothers from Ohio who played a dangerous game—and lost everything.
