Kashim Chowdhury on trial for alleged five-job fraud

Kashim Chowdhury, a 55-year-old civil servant, is appearing at Southwark Crown Court on trial for nine counts of fraud. Prosecutors allege that between February 2020 and September 2023, Chowdhury secretly held five full-time government positions simultaneously, earning approximately £350,000 in salaries.

The prosecution claims Chowdhury exploited the shift toward remote working to conceal his overlapping roles. At one stage, his combined contractual obligations reportedly totaled 183 hours per week, exceeding the total hours available in a seven-day week. His employment history included roles at Tower Hamlets Council, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the East London NHS Trust, the Department of Health and Social Care, the UK Health Security Agency, the Department for Business and Trade, the Food Standards Agency, and the Home Office.

During the trial, witnesses described Chowdhury’s work performance as “very poor,” noting he struggled with basic tasks and failed to attend virtual meetings. It was alleged that he used sick leave and claims of needing to care for an elderly mother to justify remote work and manage his workload. Chowdhury denies the fraud charges.