A stunning revelation has shaken the fast-paced world of Silicon Valley startups. A single software engineer, Soham parekh, was discovered to be secretly working for multiple tech companies simultaneously. This extraordinary case came to light after going viral on social media. It highlights the pressures, competitive hiring landscape, and potential vulnerabilities within the industry.
Parekh’s deceptive practices involved acing initial interviews with up-and-coming startups. He would secure lucrative job offers, sometimes exceeding $200,000 annually in base pay. However, after being hired, founders reported he would often ghost employers or provide minimal, poor-quality work.
When questioned about delays, Parekh allegedly offered a string of creative and increasingly elaborate excuses. These ranged from personal illness to seemingly far-fetched events like floods, electricity outages, and even claims related to geopolitical conflicts affecting his location. Startup leaders grew suspicious as his performance consistently lagged despite a strong interview presence.
The Viral Unmasking
The full scope of Soham Parekh’s activities began to surface publicly following a warning posted on X. Suhail Doshi, co-founder and former CEO of Mixpanel, issued the alert. He specifically named Parekh and accused him of working for multiple startups, often preying on Y Combinator (YC) companies.
Doshi stated he had fired Parekh in the past for similar behavior. His post quickly attracted replies from numerous other founders. Many shared eerily similar stories, with some even discovering Parekh was still on their payroll at that moment. This collective realization painted a picture of a widespread, coordinated deception impacting numerous early-stage tech companies.
Adding to the concerns, a CV shared by Doshi listed a master’s degree from Georgia Institute of Technology. However, Georgia Tech later informed Fortune that they could find no record of enrollment for a person with that name. This discrepancy further fueled suspicions about the candidate’s honesty and credentials.
Parekh’s Account of His Actions
In a public interview on the daily tech show TBPN, Soham Parekh himself confirmed the accusations. He admitted to holding multiple jobs concurrently. While stating he was “not proud” of his actions, Parekh claimed they were driven by “necessity.” He described being in “extremely dire financial circumstances.” He added that no one “really likes to work 140 hours a week,” implying the immense effort required to maintain the facade across several roles.
Despite his public admission, one founder Parekh reportedly referred Fortune to defended his abilities. Sanjit Juneja, Founder and CEO of Darwin, called Parekh an “incredibly talented engineer.” He expressed belief in Parekh’s capabilities to help bring Darwin’s products to market. This suggests that even after exposure, some employers may have remained unaware or held a positive view of his technical skills despite performance issues in other roles.
Founder Experiences Detail the Pattern
Multiple startup founders shared specific, eye-opening accounts of their interactions with Parekh. These stories reveal a consistent pattern, from the impressive interview stage to the frustrating aftermath of hiring.
Leaping AI’s Hiring Ordeal
Arkadiy Telegin, co-founder of AI startup Leaping AI, was one founder caught in the situation. He was initially blown away by Parekh during the interview process in April. Telegin interviewed approximately 50 candidates over two weeks but found Parekh “passed, by far, all” of them. He also described Parekh as a “very likeable person.”
Leaping AI offered Parekh a significant compensation package. This included a salary range of $160,000 to $200,000 per year plus equity. The role was intended to be full-time and in-office in San Francisco. Parekh accepted a mid-range offer for both salary and equity.
Parekh then told Telegin he was based in India and in the process of obtaining an O-1 visa. This type of visa is for individuals with extraordinary ability. He requested to start contributing remotely while awaiting his visa and move to the US. Leaping AI agreed, onboarding him remotely.
Almost immediately, issues arose. Parekh’s work was “insanely slow,” according to Telegin. He consistently provided excuses for delays. These included claims of natural disasters, power outages, and even the absurd drone strike claim. Parekh told Telegin he was in Mumbai, far from any conflict zone, making the excuse highly suspicious.
Telegin initially thought Parekh might just be picking up side work. He decided to formally pay him for the remote time, hoping to secure his commitment exclusively. However, Parekh never sent an invoice, and Telegin never transferred any money.
The truth emerged when Telegin discussed hiring challenges with a fellow founder from his YC cohort. In a moment of shared frustration, they realized they were describing the exact same candidate. Telegin likened it to “dating the same guy.” He soon discovered Parekh had interviewed or worked with at least three other companies within their YC batch alone.
Create’s Brief and Troubled Engagement
Marcus Lowe, co-founder of Create, also hired Parekh as a full-time independent contractor earlier in the year. The agreement included a $150,000 base salary and required five days of in-office work weekly. Create’s experience mirrored Leaping AI’s in frustrating ways.
A week before his scheduled start, Parekh requested a delay, claiming he needed to visit his sister in New York. The day before the new start date, he canceled again, citing illness. This pushed his start back by two weeks.
When he finally did come into the office, it was for only one day. Lowe noted Parekh did good work on that single day. However, the excuses and performance issues immediately returned. Parekh shipped almost no code during his approximately two-week tenure.
Lowe became suspicious and checked Parekh’s GitHub profile. He found code commits for another San Francisco-based startup. Lowe physically went to that startup’s office to inquire. He was told Parekh did indeed work there but was currently out sick – another excuse.
Create ultimately terminated Parekh after he repeatedly failed to come into the office or deliver sufficient code despite performance conversations. Lowe described Parekh as a “really strong engineer” based on interviews, highlighting the disconnect between interview performance and actual delivery.
Anonymously Shared Experiences
Another Silicon Valley founder spoke to Fortune about hiring Parekh for a one-week work trial in 2024. This founder paid Parekh $2,400 for the trial. However, they decided not to proceed with a full-time offer. The reasons included Parekh’s inability to relocate to the U.S. and noticeable issues with his performance. The founder also came to believe Parekh engaged in habitual lying.
Reports from multiple founders suggest these incidents weren’t isolated. They had heard of Parekh working multiple jobs simultaneously for up to three years. Software engineer and newsletter author Gergely Orosz stated he confirmed Parekh was hired and fired by 10 companies for non-performance and lying. He also claimed another 8 companies interviewed but rejected him. There are likely many more, Orosz suggested. Parekh also reportedly had a brief employment period at Meta in 2021.
Why Were Startups Vulnerable Targets?
The Soham Parekh saga didn’t occur in a vacuum. It took place against a backdrop of intense competition for tech talent. The demand is particularly high for skilled engineers, especially those with experience in cutting-edge fields like artificial intelligence. This environment creates pressure on startups. They often lack the deep pockets of Big Tech giants and are desperate to secure the best engineers to build their products.
The war for AI talent, as seen in aggressive recruitment efforts by companies like Meta, drives up compensation and urgency in hiring. Startups might feel compelled to make quick decisions or offer generous remote work policies to compete. While the industry is seeing massive investment in AI and its infrastructure, some roles, particularly core software engineering, are also facing shifts. Reports indicate AI tools are beginning to automate coding tasks, leading some companies like Microsoft to restructure workforces and conduct layoffs even while investing heavily in AI. This creates a complex job market where demand is high for specific, future-focused roles, but traditional positions might see pressure.
This blend of urgent demand, high salaries, and potentially less stringent oversight in remote or hybrid settings could make startups attractive targets for individuals seeking to exploit the system. The focus on rapid growth and product delivery might mean less immediate scrutiny of individual performance until problems become undeniable.
Lessons for the Tech Industry
The Soham Parekh case serves as a stark warning. It highlights the need for robust hiring processes beyond impressive interviews. Startups and tech companies should consider:
Verification: Thoroughly verifying credentials, including degrees and past employment, is crucial.
Due Diligence: Background checks, reference calls, and even checks on public profiles like GitHub (as Lowe did) can uncover inconsistencies.
Structured Onboarding & Performance Monitoring: Clear expectations, defined deliverables, and consistent performance check-ins are vital, especially for remote roles. Early red flags should be addressed promptly.
Industry Communication: While not always easy, fostering communication channels (like those within YC batches) where founders can share experiences and warnings about problematic candidates could provide an early alert system.
- Adapting to Remote Work Challenges: As remote and hybrid work become more common, companies must develop strategies to ensure accountability and prevent overemployment scams.
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This incident underscores that while technical skill is paramount in tech hiring, character and integrity are equally essential. The high-stakes environment of Silicon Valley, with its pressure to innovate and grow rapidly, must be balanced with vigilant and thorough hiring practices to protect against deception.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Soham Parekh do that went viral in Silicon Valley?
Soham Parekh, a software engineer, was publicly exposed for secretly working multiple full-time jobs simultaneously for several different Silicon Valley startups. He would excel in interviews, get hired with high salaries, but then deliver minimal work and provide elaborate excuses for his poor performance before being discovered and often terminated.
How did startups discover that Soham Parekh was working multiple jobs?
Discovery happened through various means reported in the article. It began with a viral social media post by a former employer, Suhail Doshi. Other founders saw the post and realized they had similar experiences with Parekh. Some founders discovered it by checking his public profiles like GitHub, which showed contributions to other companies. Others found out by simply discussing hiring difficulties with peers and realizing they were dealing with the same individual.
What challenges do Silicon Valley startups face in hiring that might make them vulnerable?
Silicon Valley startups operate in a highly competitive environment, especially for skilled tech and AI talent. The intense demand, driven partly by aggressive recruitment from larger companies offering massive compensation, pushes startups to offer high salaries and potentially overlook red flags to fill crucial roles quickly. The adoption of remote work also creates opportunities for individuals attempting to work multiple jobs, making it harder for companies to monitor actual work output and prevent such deception without robust systems.
Conclusion
The case of the engineer who allegedly worked for numerous Silicon Valley startups at once highlights significant challenges in the modern tech hiring landscape. Soham Parekh’s ability to secure multiple high-paying roles while delivering little work exposes potential weaknesses in current recruitment and onboarding processes. In an industry grappling with fierce competition for talent and adapting to new work models, the story serves as a critical reminder: robust due diligence, continuous performance evaluation, and open communication among founders are vital defenses against sophisticated deception. As technology evolves, so too must the strategies companies use to build trustworthy and productive teams.
