Why is Indian coder Soham Parekh being accused of ‘scamming' US startups? Explained

Hindustan Times

8 hours ago

Soham Parekh, an Indian developer, has sparked major controversy in the US tech scene after entrepreneur Suhail Doshi accused him of 'moonlighting across multiple startups and scamming employers.' US entrepreneur Suhail Doshi's post about Soham Parekh triggered a flood of similar experiences shared by founders from startups like Lindy, Fleet AI, and Antimetal.(X)
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Doshi, the co-founder and ex-CEO of Mixpanel, labelled Parekh a 'scammer' who had tricked several startups, including those backed by the Y Combinator accelerator.
Doshi revealed that he had fired Parekh just a week after hiring him, saying it was due to dishonesty. 'He reached out privately and said he regretted it,' Doshi noted.
His post prompted a wave of similar accounts from other startup founders, including those from Lindy, Fleet AI, and Antimetal. These employers described being initially impressed by Parekh's skills during interviews, only to later find out he was juggling multiple roles without disclosure.
In total, at least five startups have since come forward with allegations against Parekh. Despite the uproar, he has not responded publicly, though he reportedly contacted Doshi in private to express remorse.
The situation has ignited debate in tech circles over hiring transparency and remote work ethics. The controversy explained
The controversy surrounding Soham Parekh has brought attention to the fine line between moonlighting and founding multiple startups—a distinction that hinges on deception versus disclosure. In Parekh's case, critics say the issue lies in the lack of transparency.
He is accused of violating contracts and breaking the trust of companies that believed they were hiring a full-time, fully committed employee. In reality, each employer was unknowingly receiving only a portion of his time and effort.
While Parekh's resume lists a bachelor's degree from the University of Mumbai and a master's from the Georgia Institute of Technology, the authenticity of these credentials is now being called into question.
As the allegations gained momentum online, they sparked broader discussions about remote hiring practices, weak background verification, and the moral grey area of moonlighting in the tech world. Some questioned how one engineer could manage so many jobs, while others acknowledged his apparent brilliance in interviews.
One user on social media, who claimed to have worked with Parekh, said, '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.'
For several Silicon Valley startups, working with Parekh became a cautionary tale.
Many described him as smart, engaging, and highly likable during the hiring process. But once hired, issues allegedly began to surface – missed meetings, delayed output, and what appeared to be the fallout of overcommitting to multiple full-time roles.
The resume that listed roles at high-profile AI startups has now come under doubt, with Doshi remarking that it was 'probably 90% fake.' The episode has underscored the gaps in vetting remote talent and prompted a reckoning over how startups screen candidates in an increasingly global and remote-first hiring landscape.