CLEVELAND — The attorney for East Cleveland’s chief of staff said his client is innocent and believes Michael Smedley was duped by two brothers accused of bribing him.
Smedley pleaded not guilty to federal bribery and conspiracy charges Wednesday.
Prosecutors accused Smedley of using his job as chief of staff to East Cleveland’s mayor to help Muzzammil and Zubair Al Zubair perpetuate their schemes to defraud investors.
Investigators said Smedley accepted payments, expensive meals and tickets to Browns games from the brothers in exchange for his help, suggesting that the pair had political influence.
Prosecutors said that included Smedley appointing Zubair Al Zubair as East Cleveland’s international economic adviser – a title Al Zubair lists on his company’s website.
Smedley is also accused of providing Al Zubair with city business cards and giving both brothers East Cleveland police badges.
Federal prosecutors said the brothers used that appearance of political power to convince people to give them money for their schemes, including millions of dollars for a cryptocurrency business that was supposed to move into Nela Park in East Cleveland.
In reality, prosecutors said it was all fraud, right down to Zubair Al Zubair’s claim that he was royalty.
Smedley’s attorney believes his client was fooled, too.
“Like many other people, he was told that they were some type of prince and they wanted to do some type of business in the area,” said attorney Charles Tyler. “As a person who wanted to see the city grown, he was interested in hearing what they had to say.”
But Tyler denied Smedley accepting payments from the brothers or having a business relationship with the Al Zubairs.
“There are no signed contracts anybody can produce between my client and these brothers,” said Tyler.
The brothers pleaded not guilty to fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and other charges.
On Wednesday, the pair asked the judge for new attorneys and even said that, at one point, they wanted to represent themselves.
The trial for Smedley and the brothers is scheduled to start in April.
East Cleveland’s law director placed Smedley on paid administrative leave last week following his indictment.
