A federal jury in Cleveland found two brothers, and a former East Cleveland public official, guilty on multiple charges related to an elaborate fraud and bribery conspiracy.
Federal prosecutors say while 56 year old Leon Smedley was working as Chief of Staff to the Mayor of East Cleveland, he accepted bribes from the two brothers; one from the Columbus area, and the other, from Pepper Pike.
The favors he provided, authorities say, allowed Zubair Al Zubair, aka Zubair Mehmet Abdur Razzaq, 42, recently of Bratenahl, and his brother Muzzammil Al Zubair, aka Muzzammil Ibn Muhammad, 31, recently of Pepper Pike, to to fraudulently obtain federal funds, which they used to finance a flashy lifestyle complete with a gold-plated AK-47, a Rolls Royce, and lavish international travel.
According to the US Department of Justice, the brothers made exorbitant claims about their extraordinary wealth and government connections. Zubair Al Zubair claimed to be married to a United Arab Emirates princess. His brother, Muzzammil, claimed to be a hedge fund manager even though his only education on hedge funds was the result of watching YouTube videos. Under the illusion of being extremely educated, successful, and well-connected, the brothers befriended Smedley.
Court documents and evidence presented to the jury, showed that from June 2020 through August 2023, the Al Zubair brothers used several deceptive strategies to obtain money and property from victims. Their schemes involved investment fraud, a fraudulent Small Business Administration COVID emergency business loan, cryptocurrency mining investments, and commercial and residential real estate transactions.
The Al Zubair brothers’ ill-gotten proceeds allowed them to acquire a trove of jewelry, luxury timepieces and vehicles, as well as more than 80 firearms including a custom made, gold-plated AK-47 style rifle. Luxury vehicles they acquired with the proceeds of their illegal activity included a Rolls Royce, Lamborghini, Porsche, Mercedes, and Range Rover. Domestic and international travel to multiple places—such as Aspen, Miami, London, Bucharest, and Madrid—included the use of private jets, staying at high-end hotels, and going on shopping sprees. Zubair Al Zubair also leased a residential property in an upscale neighborhood in Bratenahl, Ohio, before being evicted in August 2023.
As the chief of staff to the mayor of East Cleveland, Smedley used his position to benefit the Al Zubair brothers. To reward and influence Smedley, the Al Zubair brothers bribed him with suite tickets to Cleveland Browns games, cigars, prized Japanese wagyu beef, and meals at high-end restaurants, as well as offers of future employment. There was also evidence presented at trial that the Al Zubair brothers were paying Smedley. In return, Smedley helped the Al Zubair brothers by attempting to secure state funding for their business; securing official letters on the city’s letterhead; having Zubair Al Zubair appointed as an International Economic Advisor to the city and obtaining business cards in his name; and providing the brothers with official police badges from the city of East Cleveland.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 5. The defendants face the maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison for each of the most serious offenses if convicted.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division and the IRS-Criminal Investigation. The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew W. Shepherd and Joseph H. Walsh for the Northern District of Ohio.
