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In a tech ecosystem where “hustle culture” is often glorified, an Indian software engineer named Soham Parekh has inadvertently sparked a firestorm, raising uncomfortable questions about remote work ethics, startup due diligence, and the pressures driving talent in Silicon Valley.
Dubbed “Soham-gate” by the internet, the controversy centers on allegations that Parekh simultaneously held multiple full-time engineering roles at a roster of prominent, typically Y Combinator-backed, startups – a classic case of moonlighting gone viral.
The narrative exploded last week when Suhail Doshi, co-founder of Mixpanel and now at the helm of Playground AI, took to X (formerly Twitter) with a stark warning to fellow founders. Doshi claimed he had fired Parekh a year prior for similar undisclosed multi-employment, noting, “He hasn’t stopped a year later. No more excuses.”
The floodgates opened. Founders from companies like Alan AI, Synthesia, DynamoAI, Union.ai, Lindy, Fleet AI, Antimetal, and Warp quickly chimed in, sharing remarkably consistent stories. Parekh, by all accounts, was a phenomenal interviewer – sharp, technically adept, and seemingly the ideal early-stage engineer.
But once hired, a pattern emerged: underperformance, missed deadlines, and eventually, the discovery of his parallel commitments. Accusations piled up, ranging from resume fabrication and false location claims (one company even shipped a laptop to a U.S. address only for it to be received by someone claiming to be his sister) to an alleged use of multiple identities to navigate the hiring landscape.
A glance at Parekh’s alleged resume, circulated by Doshi, showcased impressive academic credentials from the University of Mumbai and Georgia Institute of Technology, alongside stints at well-known AI startups. Yet, Doshi dismissed much of it as “probably 90% fake,” with many linked projects now defunct. The very foundation of his professional narrative appears to be under intense scrutiny.
In a recent interview, Parekh broke his silence, admitting to the multi-job scheme. He attributed his actions to “extremely dire financial circumstances,” asserting it was a matter of survival, not greed. “No one really likes to work 140 hours a week, but I had to do it out of necessity,” he stated, expressing regret for his deception. He also firmly denied claims of outsourcing his workload to junior developers, insisting he personally wrote every line of code.
Despite the widespread condemnation and losing multiple positions, the plot thickened. Parekh has reportedly landed a new, exclusive founding engineer role at Darwin Studios, an AI-powered video remixing platform.
Darwin’s founder, Sanjit Juneja, appears to be taking a calculated risk, publicly backing Parekh as a “10x engineer” with “something even greater to prove.” It’s a bold move that has undoubtedly raised eyebrows across the industry.
“Soham-gate” has become more than just a cautionary tale for startups. It’s a magnifying glass on the evolving landscape of remote work. While some condemn Parekh’s actions as outright fraud, others point to systemic issues: the intense pressure cooker of startup culture, the often-unrealistic demands on engineers, and the potential for under-compensation that might drive individuals to seek additional income streams. It’s also exposed the glaring need for early-stage startups to bolster their vetting processes in a fully remote hiring environment.
The conversation is far from over. As the dust settles, the tech community is left grappling with tough questions about trust, transparency, and the true cost of the relentless pursuit of innovation. And Soham Parekh, whether a villain or a product of circumstance, has undeniably become a central figure in this ongoing, uncomfortable debate.
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