Full Breakdown
Kashim Chowdhury Trial: Alleged Fraud Through Overlapping Public-Sector Jobs
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event – Trial Over Multiple Full-Time Roles
Kashim Chowdhury, a 55-year-old civil servant from east London, is on trial at Southwark Crown Court on nine counts of fraud. Prosecutors allege he concealed full-time employment with five government departments and public bodies while drawing a salary from each, earning more than £284,000 in overlapping pay. Chowdhury denies acting dishonestly and says any mistakes were unintentional.
Background & Context
The alleged scheme unfolded after remote-working arrangements expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder in 2015 was re-triggered in 2021.
Timeline
- February 2020 – Begins work for Tower Hamlets Council.
- April 2021 – Takes a second full-time role with Defra.
- Spring 2023 – Holds five concurrent full-time positions with Defra, the UK Health Security Agency, the Food Standards Agency, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Home Office.
- May 2023 – Prosecutors state he was being paid for all five roles simultaneously, amounting to a contracted 183-hour work week.
- June 2023 – Defence barrister Pieter Briegel questions Chowdhury about his mother’s health.
Data & Statistics
- Overlapping jobs: Five full-time positions in spring 2023; earlier periods included up to three roles.
- Hours claimed: 183 hours per week, exceeding the total hours in a seven-day period.
- Earnings: BBC reports “more than £284,000” in overlapping pay; the Independent reports “almost £350,000” earned from eight employers between February 2020 and September 2023, with “more than £280,000” tied to months with multiple full-time jobs.
- Monthly pay: One month in 2023 saw a single salary of £11,000 from one employer.
Official Statements & Responses
Defence barrister Pieter Briegel highlighted Chowdhury’s personal stress, asking him to describe the impact of his mother’s declining health. Chowdhury said the situation “destroyed me” and that the jobs were his “lifeline.” He asserted he never intended to take sick leave and that working was his coping mechanism.
Criticism & Opposition
Line manager Abigail Mounde of the Department for Business and Trade testified that basic tasks were either late or below expected standards. When asked whether he accepted this criticism, Chowdhury replied, “I reject them all.”
Aleesha Adams, a line manager at the UK Health Security Agency, recounted a video call in May 2023 where Chowdhury appeared in white make-up that began to rub off, revealing a darker complexion underneath. Prosecuting barrister Lucy Organ described the incident as “almost laughable” and indicative of the lengths Chowdhury went to conceal his deception.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the total amount earned from overlapping roles. The BBC cites “more than £284,000,” while the Independent states “almost £350,000” from eight employers, with “more than £280,000” specifically tied to months with multiple full-time jobs. The precise figure remains unsettled, and the court has not yet ruled on the total alleged fraud amount.
Verbatim Quotes
- “In a nutshell, what impact did her declining health have on you?” — Pieter Briegel
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The trial continues, with the jury yet to deliver a verdict on the nine fraud counts.
