Kashim Chowdhury, a 55-year-old civil servant from east London, told a court he was "in a panic" and "not thinking straight" when he applied for government jobs while already employed elsewhere, allegedly without disclosing his existing roles.
Chowdhury faces nine counts of fraud. He denies acting dishonestly or intending to make a dishonest gain. The prosecution alleges he held five full-time jobs simultaneously in spring 2023, including roles at Defra, the UK Health Security Agency, the Food Standards Agency, the Department for Business and Trade and the Home Office. Each position paid a full-time salary. The jury was told he was contracted to work 183 hours a week, exceeding the hours available in seven days.
In May 2023, he reportedly earned £11,000 for a single month's work across these roles.
During trial testimony, Chowdhury said he applied for a Department of Health job without declaring his existing employment at Defra because he feared losing that position and felt uncertain about his future. He told the jury the offers for the Department of Health, Department for Business and Trade and Home Office positions came all at once, and he said he did not want those jobs. He claimed he had discussions with line managers explaining his circumstances and that the roles were short-term and probationary.
Chowdhury said his mother's health deteriorated around May and June 2022, which "overwhelmed" and "destroyed" him. He characterized his jobs as a "lifeline" and "distraction" from caring for his elderly mother, telling the court: "They gave me a link to the outside world."
Prosecutors allege Chowdhury exploited the remote work culture that expanded during the Covid-19 pandemic to conceal his overlapping employment. They say he used sick leave from some employers to manage the workload and told employers he was the sole carer for his elderly mother. The prosecution alleges he "exploited this opportunity" to maintain multiple jobs simultaneously.