“Middle Eastern Royal Family” Crypto Scam Case Sentenced in the US; a Female Crypto Mining Circle Investor Loses Nearly 130 Million Yuan

BlockBeats News: On June 11, in Ohio, USA, a transnational fraud case involving impersonation of Middle Eastern royalty was recently sentenced. The two main offenders were each sentenced to 24 years and 23 years in prison, respectively, and were ordered to pay approximately $21.2 million in compensation.

In the case, 42-year-old Zubair Al-Zubair and 31-year-old Muzamir Al-Zubair were accused of long-term impersonation of members of the Middle Eastern royal family and hedge fund managers. They carried out the fraud under the banner of “government cooperation + crypto mining investment,” gaining the victims’ trust through forged identities and supposed official connections. Investigations showed that the two bribed former local officials to obtain titles such as “International Economic Advisor,” further packaging the projects to appear credible.

One of the main victims was a Chinese crypto investor. It was disclosed that, in the early years, the investor participated in Bitcoin mining in Sichuan, then later moved to the United States. In Ohio, the investor was introduced to a fraudulent mining farm project and made investments in cash and equipment one after another, with total losses of nearly $18 million (about 130 million yuan).

During the course of the scam, the victims were required to pay millions of dollars and purchase mining rig equipment. Some of the equipment was subsequently transferred and sold at low prices. The case was ultimately exposed after another victim reported it. Police then launched an investigation and traced the flow of funds.

In sentencing, the judge stated that the two carried out systematic fraud using fake identities and a lavish lifestyle, severely damaging the credibility of local public institutions. A former municipal official who helped with the scheme was also sentenced.