An Indian engineer named Soham Parekh has become the center of a major controversy in the American tech world. Several founders of technology startups have publicly accused him of "moonlighting", a term for secretly working a second job. However, in Parekh's case, he is alleged to have been working not just two, but as many as four or five jobs at the same time.
The issue came to light when Suhail Doshi, a well-known figure in Silicon Valley and the founder of Playground AI, posted a public warning on the social media platform X, which said "PSA: there’s a guy named Soham Parekh (in India) who works at 3–4 startups at the same time," Doshi wrote, cautioning other companies, especially those associated with the prestigious startup incubator Y Combinator, reported India Today.
How the Story Unfolded
According to Doshi, his company, Playground AI, had hired Parekh last year. However, they discovered he was also employed by another company and fired him within a week. Doshi shared what he claimed was Parekh’s resume, which listed several tech firms like Dynamo AI, Union AI, and Synthesia as past employers. He claimed that the resume was likely "90% fake."
After Doshi's post went viral, other founders shared nearly identical stories on X, expressing their thoughts on Parekh.
Flo Crivello, the founder of a startup called Lindy, revealed his team had just hired Parekh a week ago. "Fired this morning," Crivello wrote, adding, "He did so incredibly well in interviews, must have a lot of training."
Nicolai Ouporov, the CEO of Fleet AI, confirmed that Parekh had also worked with his company and suggested this was not a new behavior, stating Parekh had "been doing this for years."
Matthew Parkhurst, CEO of Antimetal, said they also hired and then fired Parekh after finding out about his other jobs. He described Parekh as "really smart and likeable" and joked, "Hiring Soham is a new rite of passage tbh."
Michelle Lim from the company Warp also confirmed they had hired Parekh for a trial period but cancelled it immediately after the public accusations surfaced.
Parekh’s Response
Soham Parekh himself has not made any public statements. However, Suhail Doshi shared a private message he claimed was from Parekh, in which the engineer seemed to express regret.
"Have I completely sabotaged my career? What can I do to improve my situation? I am also happy to come clean," the message read, showing Parekh asking for advice.
There are also doubts about his qualifications. His resume states he has a bachelor's degree from the University of Mumbai and a master's from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the U.S., but these claims are now being questioned.
Talent Or Deception?
Despite the controversy, many noted that Parekh must be very skilled to pass difficult technical interviews at multiple high-level startups. According to India Today, one social media user who claimed to have been his colleague praised his efficiency. "When he works, yes. I saw him taking on a task and finishing in an hour when it'd take at least three for other engineers," the person wrote.
Bigger Questions for the Tech Industry
This incident has started a larger conversation online about the challenges of remote work. With employees now based all over the world, some founders are worried that it has become easier for people to hold multiple jobs without getting caught.
The case of Soham Parekh has served as a wake-up call for many Silicon Valley companies, forcing them to reconsider their hiring processes and how they conduct background checks in a remote-first world. For a handful of startups, it was a lesson learned the hard way.
