Man on Trial for Allegedly Holding 5 Government Jobs and Collecting £284,613

(Kashim Chowdhury. Photo by The Times)
Kashim Chowdhury, 55, is on trial at Southwark Crown Court, accused of defrauding the U.K. government of £284,613.

Prosecutors say he held eight government jobs between February 2020 and September 2023, earning £349,378 in total, while working across departments including the Food Standards Agency, the Home Office and the Department for Business and Trade.

The court heard that at the peak of the scheme he was contracted to work 183 hours a week across five full-time roles.

His line manager at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Dan McCartney, said his work was poor and that he could not work on his own.

Even so, Chowdhury was made a permanent employee under a policy for fixed-term staff who were not subject to formal performance checks.

Prosecutors also say he smeared white make-up on his face to look unwell during an online meeting after concerns were raised about his work.

He allegedly told his employers he was struggling because his mother had been diagnosed with cancer.

Chowdhury, who earned £52,000 a year at Defra, denies nine counts of fraud.

The trial is ongoing.