London court trial begins for man accused of holding eight simultaneous jobs

A 55-year-old former British civil servant, Kashim Chowdhury, is facing trial in London for fraud. He is accused of holding up to five administrative positions simultaneously between February 2020 and September 2023.

Prosecutors allege that Chowdhury received approximately £350,000 from eight different employers during this period. At one point, he reportedly claimed to work 183 hours per week, a figure exceeding the total hours available in a seven-day week. To manage the conflicting roles, he allegedly utilized remote work and obtained fraudulent sick leave, often citing the need to care for a sick mother or claiming personal illness.

The fraud was reportedly uncovered during a video conference when a manager noticed a discrepancy in his appearance. Chowdhury had allegedly applied white makeup to his face to appear pale and ill, but the makeup began to dissolve during the meeting, revealing a color mismatch between his face and neck.