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Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Why is Indian coder Soham Parekh being accused of ‘scamming' US startups? Explained
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.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
The Moonlighting Maverick: Who Is Soham Parekh?
It might be the birthday of the Top Gun Maverick, but the moonlighting maverick is hogging all the limelight. It's Soham Parekh, the India‑based software engineer who's gone viral – earning both admiration and alarm across Silicon Valley. But who really is Soham Parekh? Let's unpack. Earlier this month, a viral post by Playground AI founder Suhail Doshi on X revealed Parekh was allegedly holding three to five simultaneous jobs at US startups (many backed by Y Combinator), sparking a wave of outrage. Founders at Fleet AI, Antimetal, Warp, Lindy, and others confirmed similar experiences, with several deeming him deceptive and terminating contracts. Yet Parekh's CV portrays a stellar academic and professional journey. Let's unpack the real story behind this multi‑hat maverick. The viral allegations: Sending shockwaves through Silicon Valley The story took momentum when Suhail Doshi, former Mixpanel CEO and Playground AI founder, issued a public warning: Parekh was allegedly working simultaneously at three to five startups – without disclosure – targeting YC-funded companies. Claims included: Being fired during his first week at Playground AI for dishonesty A resume fraught with links that were "gone" and "probably 90% fake" Roles at companies like Dynamo AI, Synthesia, Alan AI, and GitHub This alarm resonated with other startup founders – Lindy, Fleet AI, Antimetal, Warp – all recounting their own dealings with Parekh, confirming either firing or abrupt cancellations upon discovery. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo Parekh's academic and professional trajectory Despite the scandal, Parekh's résumé – as shared by Doshi – painted an impressive picture: Bachelor's in Computer Engineering – University of Mumbai (2020) Master's in Computer Science – Georgia Tech (2022) Alleged prior roles included: Open Source Fellow at GitHub (May–Aug 2020) Founding Engineer at Alan AI (2021) Full‑stack Engineer roles at Synthesia and Contract work with Dynamo AI (2024 onward) In fact, before the controversy, Parekh was recognized for genuine technical contributions: Active contributor in the MLH Fellowship, working on WebXR, AR/VR example code via Founded Devstation, a non-profit promoting open-source adoption Published articles on machine learning, cybersecurity, and development – from his personal blog ( to Medium From their accounts, friends of Parekh and community members remember an ambitious engineer focused on real-world tech impact – making the scandal all the more dramatic. The paradox of Parekh: The testimonials Following Doshi's post, a line of startup leaders came forward: Flo Crivello (Lindy) said, while speaking about Parekh: 'Hired a week earlier, fired this morning… did incredibly well in interviews.' Nicolai Ouporov (Fleet AI) said: 'He has been doing this for years and works at more than 4 startups at any given time.' Matthew Parkhurst (Antimetal) dubbed Parekh 'really smart and likeable,' but relieved him once multi‑jobbing surfaced, while Michelle Lim (Warp) engaged him for a trial project but cancelled post-scandal. Even lesser-known founders – like Igor Zalutski from Digger CI – chimed in, calling the behavior 'unhinged' and noting how well Parekh nailed interviews despite deceit. The social spotlight While no public statement has come, Doshi revealed a private message from Parekh: 'Have I completely sabotaged my career? What can I do to improve my situation? I am also happy to come clean.' But given these revelations have been quite some 'juicy content', social media users have had a field day. Parekh, who is being dubbed as the 'Wolf of YC Street,' has been trending all over X. While one social media user joked: 'Every crypto marketer has been Soham Parekh at some point in their career,' another quipped, 'Woke up with fever and cold…it's over for me y'all… Soham Parekh please don't take my job.' What's even funnier, one internet user, going with the username 'Sohamp711' and a private X profile, has put up this as his bio: 'NOT the viral startup guy.' That's not all. An internet user has even come out with a new startup idea for Parekh, in case he loses his six startup jobs – 'Soham Parekh should start a company called the 100x engineer.' While some hailed his hustle mentality: 'a corporate majdoor who cracked the matrix,' others demanded serious reforms: remote hiring, background checks, and ethical transparency must be revisited. The bigger picture: Will the real Soham Parekh please stand up? Parekh's saga isn't just sensational – it catalyzes a global rethink on hiring standards: Rigorous vetting needed: With overseas remote work a norm, startups must ratchet up verification, cross-check references, and validate credentials. Ethics vs efficiency: High-speed hiring can tempt overlooking red flags. Parekh displayed top-tier skill – but with deceptive intent. Policy evolution: Companies from Infosys to Wipro are reshaping moonlighting rules—some even allowing side-gigs under strict supervision. Truth to be told: the tale of Soham Parekh isn't black and white. On one side, a gifted coder who built immersive WebXR projects, led open-source, and documented learning. On the other hand, an alleged moonlighting mastermind with a possibly embellished résumé. That duality – innovation shadowed by possible fraud – is what makes his story so captivating. If Parekh genuinely 'comes clean' – as he intended, in his alleged DM to Doshi – his story could evolve from a cautionary tale to a redemption arc. But until then, his impact on hiring ethics and remote work best practices is undeniable. Meet Manasi Parekh, TV Star Who Won National Award Best Actress 2024
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Soham Parekh: How Indian techie fooled 10+ cos, earned over Rs 2L per day or Rs 7 cr a yr; Even CEOs called him 'really smart'
TIL Creatives Representative AI Image An Indian software engineer is facing serious allegations of moonlighting after several US startup founders accused him of secretly working at multiple companies at the same time. Soham Parekh, whose CV claims a master's degree from Georgia Tech, has come under scrutiny after Suhail Doshi, co-founder and former CEO of Mixpanel, publicly warned others about him.'PSA: there's a guy named Soham Parekh (in India) who works at 3-4 startups at the same time. He's been preying on YC companies and more. Beware,' Doshi posted on X. He added that Parekh briefly joined his company, Playground AI, but was fired within a week when his duplicity came to did not stop at the warning. He posted Parekh's CV online, pointing out companies like Dynamo AI, Union AI, Synthesia, Alan AI, and Fleet AI where Parekh allegedly held simultaneous roles. Doshi claimed the CV was 'probably 90 per cent fake'. — nicolas_ouporov (@nicolas_ouporov) 'I fired this guy in his first week and told him to stop lying/scamming people. He hasn't stopped a year later. No more excuses,' Doshi wrote. He said he had cross-checked his claims with more than six companies before making them public. The allegations quickly gained support. Nicolai Ouporov, co-founder of Fleet AI, said, 'He has been doing this for years and works at more than 4 startups at any given time.' — nicolas_ouporov (@nicolas_ouporov) Flo Crivello, CEO of Lindy, echoed the frustration. 'Holy sh*t. We hired this guy a week ago. Fired this morning. He did so incredibly well in interviews, must have a lot of training. Careful out there,' Crivello posted, sharing that Parekh cited time zone issues and company changes to explain past Parkhurst, CEO of Antimetal, confirmed Parekh had been his company's first engineering hire in 2022. 'Really smart and likeable; enjoyed working with him. We realised pretty quickly that he was working at multiple companies and let him go,' Parkhurst said. The revelations have pushed the spotlight onto a wider trend: 'overemployment'. Deedy Das, an AI investor, called Parekh 'the tip of the iceberg' and said thousands might be doing the same. Das outlined tricks overemployed people use—mouse jugglers to keep their cursor active, blocking calendars as 'focus time', outsourcing tasks, keeping cameras off and delivering work just enough to from Reddit forums show self-claimed overemployed workers boasting of salaries crossing $800,000 a year through multiple jobs. 'No job should take too much effort (time) relative to the return,' one user wrote. 'Interviews should be gamified. Lie, cheat, and steal. Use AI.'Despite repeated terminations, Parekh's skill at interviews made him hard to detect. Startup founders said he came across as sharp, presentable and convincing. 'I was THIS close to hiring him. The craziest part is he actually crushed the interview,' Justin Harvey, co-founder of AIVideo, Jain, founder of Mosaic, agreed. 'Can confirm. This guy wasted our time for a month. did great in interviews. but he's a liar.' Michelle Lim, product head at Warp, added that Parekh had been hired for a trial before the allegations surfaced and the engagement was Das shared screenshots from Reddit where a data expert claimed to make $800,000 (₹6.85 crore) a year by holding five jobs at once. The same user said they earn over $3,000 (₹2.5 lakh) daily by avoiding office visits, calling themselves a 'consultant', and handling only key tasks. According to this user, strong skills, smart planning and keeping meetings to a minimum helped them manage multiple jobs for three years. The row has triggered a debate about startups' hiring and vetting. Some argue that lean hiring and quick interviews leave blind spots that skilled candidates can exploit. Others say the problem runs deeper—remote work made multiple roles possible, while AI tools made it easier to juggle on LinkedIn blamed founders too. 'This trend is often a symptom of failed leadership, not just deceitful employees,' wrote one user. Another pointed out, 'With efficiency boosts with AI up to 10x and not much change in expectations by employers, this seems to be bound to happen.'Soham Parekh has not made any public statement but did reach out privately to Doshi. 'Asking this as genuine advice since I do really love what I do, have I completely sabotaged my career? What can I do to improve my situation? I am also happy to come clean,' Parekh reportedly told questions linger. How did so many startups miss the red flags? Could this happen again? As remote hiring continues, founders might be rethinking trust, checks, and the fine line between flexibility and fraud. (Disclaimer: This article is based on a user-generated post on social media. has not independently verified the claims made in the post and does not vouch for their accuracy. The views expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of Reader discretion is advised.)
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Soham Parekh: How Indian techie fooled 10+ cos, earned over Rs 2L per day or Rs 7 cr a yr; Even CEOs called him 'really smart'
Soham Parekh, an Indian engineer, is under fire after Suhail Doshi, co-founder of Mixpanel, accused him of secretly working at multiple startups at once. At least five US founders have echoed similar experiences, warning others about Parekh's tactics. Allegations include faked credentials, overlapping jobs, and excuses that stretched team trust thin. The controversy has raised questions about startup hiring filters and the 'overemployment' trend that uses remote work and AI to juggle several paychecks at once. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads How did Soham Parekh do it? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Rs 2.5 lakh per day and Rs 6.85cr a year Startups under fire too An Indian software engineer is facing serious allegations of moonlighting after several US startup founders accused him of secretly working at multiple companies at the same time. Soham Parekh, whose CV claims a master's degree from Georgia Tech, has come under scrutiny after Suhail Doshi, co-founder and former CEO of Mixpanel , publicly warned others about him.'PSA: there's a guy named Soham Parekh (in India) who works at 3-4 startups at the same time. He's been preying on YC companies and more. Beware,' Doshi posted on X. He added that Parekh briefly joined his company, Playground AI, but was fired within a week when his duplicity came to did not stop at the warning. He posted Parekh's CV online, pointing out companies like Dynamo AI, Union AI, Synthesia, Alan AI, and Fleet AI where Parekh allegedly held simultaneous roles. Doshi claimed the CV was 'probably 90 per cent fake'.'I fired this guy in his first week and told him to stop lying/scamming people. He hasn't stopped a year later. No more excuses,' Doshi wrote. He said he had cross-checked his claims with more than six companies before making them allegations quickly gained support. Nicolai Ouporov, co-founder of Fleet AI, said, 'He has been doing this for years and works at more than 4 startups at any given time.'Flo Crivello, CEO of Lindy, echoed the frustration. 'Holy sh*t. We hired this guy a week ago. Fired this morning. He did so incredibly well in interviews, must have a lot of training. Careful out there,' Crivello posted, sharing that Parekh cited time zone issues and company changes to explain past Parkhurst, CEO of Antimetal, confirmed Parekh had been his company's first engineering hire in 2022. 'Really smart and likeable; enjoyed working with him. We realised pretty quickly that he was working at multiple companies and let him go,' Parkhurst revelations have pushed the spotlight onto a wider trend: 'overemployment'. Deedy Das, an AI investor, called Parekh 'the tip of the iceberg' and said thousands might be doing the same. Das outlined tricks overemployed people use—mouse jugglers to keep their cursor active, blocking calendars as 'focus time', outsourcing tasks, keeping cameras off and delivering work just enough to from Reddit forums show self-claimed overemployed workers boasting of salaries crossing $800,000 a year through multiple jobs. 'No job should take too much effort (time) relative to the return,' one user wrote. 'Interviews should be gamified. Lie, cheat, and steal. Use AI.'Despite repeated terminations, Parekh's skill at interviews made him hard to detect. Startup founders said he came across as sharp, presentable and convincing. 'I was THIS close to hiring him. The craziest part is he actually crushed the interview,' Justin Harvey, co-founder of AIVideo, Jain, founder of Mosaic, agreed. 'Can confirm. This guy wasted our time for a month. did great in interviews. but he's a liar.' Michelle Lim, product head at Warp, added that Parekh had been hired for a trial before the allegations surfaced and the engagement was Das shared screenshots from Reddit where a data expert claimed to make $800,000 (₹6.85 crore) a year by holding five jobs at once. The same user said they earn over $3,000 (₹2.5 lakh) daily by avoiding office visits, calling themselves a 'consultant', and handling only key tasks. According to this user, strong skills, smart planning and keeping meetings to a minimum helped them manage multiple jobs for three row has triggered a debate about startups' hiring and vetting. Some argue that lean hiring and quick interviews leave blind spots that skilled candidates can exploit. Others say the problem runs deeper—remote work made multiple roles possible, while AI tools made it easier to juggle on LinkedIn blamed founders too. 'This trend is often a symptom of failed leadership, not just deceitful employees,' wrote one user. Another pointed out, 'With efficiency boosts with AI up to 10x and not much change in expectations by employers, this seems to be bound to happen.'Soham Parekh has not made any public statement but did reach out privately to Doshi. 'Asking this as genuine advice since I do really love what I do, have I completely sabotaged my career? What can I do to improve my situation? I am also happy to come clean,' Parekh reportedly told questions linger. How did so many startups miss the red flags? Could this happen again? As remote hiring continues, founders might be rethinking trust, checks, and the fine line between flexibility and article is based on a user-generated post on social media. has not independently verified the claims made in the post and does not vouch for their accuracy. The views expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
At least 5 US CEOs accuse Indian techie Soham Parekh of moonlighting, but say he's ‘really smart'
An Indian techie has sent shockwaves through Silicon Valley after it emerged that he has been moonlighting at several different companies. The allegations against Soham Parekh were first made by Playground AI founder Suhail Doshi, who accused the Indian techie of working at three to four companies simultaneously. An Indian techie named Soham Parekh has been accused of moonlighting at different US startups (Representational image) 'PSA: there's a guy named Soham Parekh (in India) who works at 3-4 startups at the same time. He's been preying on YC companies and more. Beware,' San Francisco-based Suhail Doshi posted on X yesterday. He added that Parekh had worked briefly at one of his companies last year before his duplicity came to light and he was fired within his first week. (Also read: US founder calls out Indian techie Soham Parekh for 'scamming' multiple startups: 'I fired this guy in 1 week') CEOs accuse Soham Parekh of moonlighting Since then, at least five other companies have come forward to accuse Soham Parekh of scamming them. Many agreed that he came across as knowledgeable in his interviews and managed to fool them initially. Flo Crivello, founder and CEO of Lindy, said that he had hired Soham Parekh a week ago and acknowledged that he did 'incredibly well' in interviews. 'Holy sh*t. We hired this guy a week ago. Fired this morning. He did so incredibly well in interviews, must have a lot of training. Careful out there,' Crivello wrote. Crivello shared notes from Parekh's interview where the Indian techie mentioned that he had left Antimetal due to time zone differences and because it was 'turning into a finops company' and he wasn't sure he wanted to be a part of it. 'Really smart' hire Antimetal CEO Matthew Parkhurst also confirmed that Soham Parekh had worked for them. He described Parekh as 'really smart' but said he was fired for working at multiple other companies. 'Funnily enough, Soham was our first engineering hire in 2022. Really smart and likable; enjoyed working with him,' Matthew said on X. 'We realized pretty quickly that he was working at multiple companies and let him go.' 'Hiring Soham is a new rite of passage tbh. Any great company should go through it,' the CEO of Antimetal joked. Nicolai Ouporov, co-founder and CEO of Fleet AI, also confirmed that Parekh works at multiple startups at any given time. Parekh's CV – shared publicly by Suhail Doshi – lists Fleet AI as one of the companies where he has worked. Adish Jain, the San Francisco-based founder of Mosaic, also 'confirmed' Doshi's account. He also said that Parekh did 'great' in interviews. Michelle Lim, head of product at Warp, said that Parekh had been hired for a work trial before the allegations came to light. The trial has now been cancelled, Lim said. Soham Parekh responds Soham Parekh, the man at the centre of this storm, has not addressed the fallout publicly. However, according to Doshi, he reached out to him in private. Doshi shared the gist of what Parekh told him, which amounted to the Indian techie expressing regret. 'Asking this as genuine advice since I do really love what I do, have I completely sabotaged my career? What can I do to improve my situation? I am also happy to come clean," Parekh told Doshi.
