RismadarVoice Reporters
November 9, 2026
A British civil servant, Kashim Chowdhury, has been convicted of nine counts of fraud after secretly holding multiple full-time government jobs and receiving more than £284,000 during periods of overlapping employment.
Chowdhury, 56, from East London, was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court on Monday following a trial examining how he secured and maintained several public sector positions simultaneously.
The jury convicted him of eight counts of fraud by false representation and one count of fraud by failing to disclose information.
Prosecutors said Chowdhury held eight overlapping public sector positions between February 2020 and September 2023, earning approximately £349,000 in gross salaries.
At the height of the arrangement in 2023, he was employed by five government organisations simultaneously and contracted to work 183 hours weekly, exceeding the 168 hours available in seven days.
His employers included the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 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.
The prosecution argued that Chowdhury concealed his existing employment when applying for additional positions and exploited remote-working arrangements to maintain multiple salaries.
The court also heard allegations that he used sick leave from some organisations while continuing to work for others.
In one incident, a former manager alleged that Chowdhury appeared to have applied white make-up during an online meeting to make himself look unwell.
Chowdhury denied the allegation and rejected claims that he deliberately deceived his employers.
During the trial, he explained that previous experiences of job insecurity and the pressure of caring for his seriously ill mother had affected his judgment.
He also told the court that he had experienced post-traumatic stress disorder and feared losing his livelihood.
However, prosecutors maintained that his repeated failure to disclose existing employment demonstrated deliberate dishonesty.
The irregularities were eventually uncovered through the government’s National Fraud Initiative, which compares public sector records to identify potential fraud.
After approximately seven hours of deliberation, the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts.
The conviction raises questions about employment verification, payroll oversight and accountability within Britain’s public sector.
Chowdhury is awaiting sentencing, with the court yet to announce his punishment.
