Civil servant accused of pocketing nearly £350,000 by holding five full-time government jobs at once
Kashim Chowdhury is on trial for allegedly securing multiple full-time civil-service positions simultaneously, earning almost £350,000 between 2020 and 2023.
At Southwark Crown Court, Kashim Chowdhury, a 55-year-old civil servant from Whitechapel, faces nine fraud charges for allegedly holding up to five full-time government posts at the same time. Prosecutor Lucy Organ explained that he misrepresented his employment status to the Home Office, Defra, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Business and Trade, the Food Standards Agency, East London NHS Trust and Tower Hamlets council, among others.
The scheme, which began in June 2020, allowed him to draw salaries amounting to nearly £350,000, with more than £280,000 earned in months when he held multiple positions. He is accused of lying about his job history and concealing his other employments to secure the extra pay. Chowdhury entered the dock covering his face and maintains his innocence. The trial is expected to last about three weeks.
Why it matters
The case highlights vulnerabilities in government hiring safeguards and the potential for large-scale public-fund fraud.
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