Artificial Intelligence

Indian Engineer Admits to Working Multiple US Startups Secretly

Published JUL 4 2025

Story

Above: Person at a desktop computer in a dimly lit IT lab at night, viewed from behind. Image credit: Bevan Goldswain/Getty Images

The Facts

Soham Parekh, an Indian software engineer, admitted to simultaneously working for multiple U.S.-based tech startups without disclosing his multiple employment arrangements to any of the companies involved, reportedly earning between $30,000 to $40,000 per month at his peak across four simultaneous positions.
NBC
The Hindu
The situation gained attention after Suhail Doshi, co-founder of Mixpanel and Playground AI, posted on X Wednesday, warning others about Parekh’s conduct. At least ten startup executives later confirmed employing Parekh at different points.
X
TechCrunch
NBC
Founders reported Parekh was highly impressive during interviews, often ranking in the top percentile of applicants. He showed strong technical skills and maintained an active GitHub profile, which contributed to his successful hiring across several companies.
Verge
TechCrunch
Once hired, multiple startups noted issues with Parekh's performance. Employers cited missed meetings, delayed work, and recurring absences and communication gaps. These concerns led to his dismissal from several companies over time, often after performance began to decline.
The Hindu
Verge
Parekh confirmed the allegations in an episode of the TBPN show on Thursday, saying, “It is true.” He explained he was in “extremely dire financial circumstances” and worked up to 140 hours per week “out of necessity.” He denied outsourcing or using AI tools, saying he completed all tasks himself.
X
Youtube
The Times of India
Despite the controversy, Parekh is now the founding engineer at Darwin Studios. “This is the only thing I’m going to focus on now,” he said. Darwin’s CEO added, “We believe in his abilities to help bring our products to market.”
NBC
Tech Funding News

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

Parekh's actions represent a clear breach of trust and professional ethics that undermines the entire employment relationship. When companies hire someone full-time, they expect dedication and loyalty, not someone secretly dividing their attention among multiple employers while collecting multiple salaries under false pretenses.

Narrative B

This whole situation exposes how broken startup hiring has become. Companies are so desperate to find talent that they often skip basic due diligence and fall for polished interview performances. The remote work boom made it ridiculously easy for someone to game the system, and frankly, these startups must take responsibility for not doing proper background checks.

Fortune

Narrative C

Soham was working 140-hour weeks just to stay afloat, and people act like that’s a crime. Founders juggle multiple companies and get praised — he does it to survive and gets blacklisted. Now he’s signed on as founding engineer at one startup and isn’t backing down. He’s clearly a genius and an extremely talented guy. Let the man work.

Youtube