A 55-year-old civil servant from east London is on trial at Southwark Crown Court facing nine counts of fraud related to his management of multiple concurrent government positions. The defendant, Kashim Chowdhury, maintains he did not act dishonestly and denies any intention to make fraudulent gains, claiming he was operating on “auto pilot” during the period in question.
Between 2020 and 2023, Chowdhury held eight overlapping public sector roles across various government agencies including the Home Office, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK Health Security Agency, Department for Business and Trade, and Food Standards Agency. Each position required full-time work with corresponding full-time compensation. The prosecution alleges he fraudulently earned more than £284,000 through these overlapping arrangements.
The court heard that in March 2023, Chowdhury began working for the Home Office while maintaining full-time contractual obligations elsewhere. He initiated this role while on sick leave from three other positions. When questioned by prosecutors about how he could start a new job while claiming illness, he stated he did not want the Home Office position but was assured of adequate support and flexible hours.
Chowdhury argued that he had informal agreements with employers to work flexibly on project-based or output-based terms, with arrangements communicated through text messages. He explained that phones containing these messages were missing when investigators searched his residence. In May 2023, his contracted hours totaled 183 per week—exceeding the hours available in seven days. He claimed to manage this workload by working extended hours on weekends while serving as sole caregiver for his elderly mother.
The prosecution contends that Chowdhury exploited remote work arrangements and his caregiving responsibilities to conceal the overlapping employment. During a video meeting with a line manager at the UKHSA in May 2023, the manager noted unusual observations about his appearance, which the defendant disputed. The trial remains ongoing.
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