Ohio city mayor’s assistant, two others, charged with tax fraud, public corruption, money laundering

The mayor’s assistant of an Ohio city, alongside two others, have been charged with public corruption, tax fraud and more.

According to a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office Northern District of Ohio, a 32-count indictment was returned against Michael Smedley, the chief of staff and executive assistant to the Mayor of East Cleveland, Zubair Mehmet Abdur Razzaq Al Zubair and his brother, Muzzammil Muhammad Al Zubair.

Between June 2020 and August 2023, the Al Zubair brothers implemented multiple schemes involving investment fraud, Small Business Administration COVID-19 relief Emergency Income Disaster Loans, cryptocurrency mining, and real estate transactions.

In one scheme, the brothers found an individual attempting to purchase military weapons and ammunition. They then contacted weapon sellers in multiple countries for the buyer and convinced the purchaser to send them a commission fee.

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According to federal prosecutors, the schemes allowed the brothers to purchase  “a trove of jewelry, luxury timepieces and vehicles, as well as more than 80 firearms.”

While claiming to belong to the royal family of the United Arab Emirates and pretending to be a hedge fund manager, the brother became connected with Smedley, the chief of staff and executive assistant to the Mayor of East Cleveland.

According to prosecutors, Smedley used his connections to allegedly “[secure] official letters on city letterhead to sway administrative and judicial proceedings, [help] obtain appointment of Zubair Al Zubair as an International Economic Advisor to the city, obtained city business cards in Zubair Al Zubair’s name, and even provided the brothers with City of East Cleveland Police Badges.”

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