Indian Engineer Caught Secretly Working Up To Five Tech Jobs Simultaneously, Offered New Gig At "Cheat On Everything" Startup

Soham Parekh, an Indian software engineer, is at the center of a Silicon Valley hiring scandal. Multiple Y Combinator-backed startups claim Parekh simultaneously held positions at their companies and others, misrepresenting his employment history. Suhail Doshi of Playground AI publicly exposed Parekh's actions, leading to his termination. Other CEOs corroborated the allegations, describing similar experiences with Parekh. Parekh's resume was largely fabricated, according to Doshi, who shared evidence of Parekh's remorse. The incident highlights vulnerabilities in remote work verification and startup hiring practices. A 2024 study showed a significant increase in remote workers holding multiple jobs, contributing to the issue. The controversy sparked discussions about remote work accountability and the ease of juggling multiple remote roles. Even a CEO of a "cheating" AI tool offered Parekh a job. The scandal serves as a cautionary tale for the tech industry.