CLEVELAND — A pair of brothers and a former top East Cleveland mayoral aide have all been convicted for their roles in a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme.
Zubair Mehmet Abdur Razzaq Al Zubair, Muzzammil Muhammad Al Zubair, and Michael Smedley had all faced federal charges in connection with a conspiracy to defraud investors out of roughly $10 million over a three-year span from 2020-23. Prosecutors say the Al Zubairs falsely claimed to be tied to royalty from the United Arab Emirates and bribed Smedley — at the time chief of staff to East Cleveland Mayor Brandon King — into appointing Zubair Al Zubair as an “international economic advisor” to the city.
On Wednesday, all three defendants were found guilty of nearly all charges against them, including:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
- Wire fraud.
- Conspiracy to commit money laundering.
- Money laundering.
- Theft of government funds.
- Aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return.
- Willful failure to file a tax return.
- Conspiracy to commit bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.
- Bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.
- Conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.
- Conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right.
Zubair Al Zubair was found not guilty of a single wire fraud charge, as well as of harboring a fugitive. Authorities also seized 44 firearms from his possession…