Engineer Admits to Juggling Multiple Full-Time Tech Roles, Sparking Industry Debate

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Soham Parekh, an Indian software engineer, has publicly admitted to simultaneously holding multiple full-time positions at various U.S. tech startups without their knowledge, a revelation that has ignited widespread discussion across Silicon Valley. The admission came during an exclusive interview featured on TBPN, a prominent daily technology show, on Monday, July 14th.

Parekh, who was reportedly terminated from several companies including Playground AI and Antimetal following the discovery, cited "dire financial circumstances" as the primary motivation for his actions. "I'm not proud of what I've done," Parekh stated, emphasizing that his extreme workload was born out of "necessity" rather than "greed." He described working upwards of 140 hours a week to manage his commitments.

The engineer gained notoriety within the tech community after accusations surfaced from founders, leading to a broader conversation about trust, work ethics, and employee monitoring in the remote-first era. Flo Crivello, CEO of Lindy and one of Parekh's former employers, confirmed that Parekh worked for his company for two weeks, noting that his impact was "negative" due to the time spent on onboarding. Crivello also expressed skepticism about Parekh's sincerity, stating, "When people show you who they are, believe them."

Despite the controversy, Parekh has announced a new role as a founding engineer at Darwin, an AI-driven video platform. He expressed a commitment to focusing solely on this new endeavor and rebuilding his reputation. "I believe in actions more than words," he remarked, indicating that his future work at Darwin will be a "testament" to his renewed focus.

The incident has prompted industry insiders to question the mechanisms for verifying employment and the potential for "overemployment" in a distributed workforce. While some argue that such behavior undermines the foundational trust in the startup ecosystem, others point to the lack of clear guidelines or the economic pressures that might drive individuals to such lengths. The ongoing debate highlights the evolving landscape of work and accountability in the rapidly changing technology sector.