Civil servant accused of juggling 5 jobs, earning £350k

A civil servant is accused of using remote working and fake sick notes to fraudulently hold multiple full-time government jobs simultaneously. Kashim Chowdhury, 55, faces nine counts of fraud, which he denies. Prosecutors allege he worked up to 183 hours a week for five jobs at the same time, a workload exceeding the hours in a standard week. Between February 2020 and September 2023, Chowdhury is accused of earning almost £350,000 from eight different employers.

Exploiting Remote Working

Jurors at Southwark Crown Court heard that Chowdhury allegedly exploited the increase in remote working during the Covid-19 pandemic to conceal his multiple roles. He is said to have taken sick leave from some employers while continuing to work for others. Prosecutors claim he lied about his employment status when applying for these positions, stating that employers would not have hired him if they had known about his other full-time commitments.

The court heard that Chowdhury began working for Tower Hamlets Council in February 2020. He subsequently took a second job with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in April 2021. These two roles reportedly overlapped for over a year. During 2022, he also allegedly held a third position with East London NHS Trust for four months. After leaving the council, he is said to have continued with DEFRA while also securing roles with the Department of Health and Social Care, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the Department for Business and Trade, the Food Standards Agency, and the Home Office.

Alleged Deception During Video Call

In May 2023, while allegedly holding five full-time jobs, Chowdhury was involved in a video call with his UKHSA manager, Aleesha Adams, to discuss his recent sick leave. Prosecutors allege that Chowdhury applied white make-up to his face to appear unwell during the call. Prosecutor Lucy Organ described the incident as "laughable" and said it demonstrated the extent of his alleged deceit. During the call, Adams reportedly noticed his face appeared white while his neck was a different colour, and the make-up began to separate. Chowdhury also logged into the meeting using a DEFRA email address, which he allegedly claimed was an old account to hide his concurrent employment.

Investigation and Trial

The alleged fraud came to light after the National Fraud Initiative alerted DEFRA. Between March 2020 and September 2023, Chowdhury's bank accounts reportedly saw over £300,000 in credits and nearly £250,000 in debits. Chowdhury, who is from Whitechapel, east London, denies all nine counts of fraud. The trial at Southwark Crown Court is ongoing.