Soham Parekh, an Indian software engineer from Mumbai, has been accused of secretly working simultaneously for up to five US-based startups, including several Y Combinator-backed companies. The allegations surfaced after Playground AI founder Suhail Doshi publicly called out Parekh for moonlighting at multiple startups without disclosing his concurrent employment. Parekh reportedly used a fabricated resume and false claims, including promising an O1 visa, to secure these positions. Despite his technical skills being praised by some founders, his actions have drawn widespread criticism across Silicon Valley, with at least five US startup CEOs accusing him of deception. Parekh admitted to holding multiple jobs since 2022, attributing his behavior to financial necessity rather than greed and stating he was "not proud" of his actions. He claimed to have worked up to 140 hours per week during this period. The controversy has sparked discussions about hiring practices and remote work culture in the tech industry. Following the scandal, Parekh joined AI startup Darwin Studios as a founding engineer. Some affected companies have expressed frustration over the resources drained by his deception, while others have warned against hiring him as a full-time employee. The incident has highlighted vulnerabilities in startup recruitment processes and raised concerns about the quality and ethics of remote work engagements in the tech sector.