‘Not proud, no one likes working 140 hours…’: Techie Soham Parekh responds after moonlighting scandal goes viral-OxBig News Network

An Indian techie, Soham Parekh, is at the centre of a moonlighting storm after US-based AI founder Suhail Doshi accused him of “scamming people” by working at multiple startups simultaneously. The controversy has triggered a heated debate online, with many calling out double standards in the startup world.

In a widely shared post on X, Doshi — co-founder and ex-CEO of Mixpanel, and founder of Playground AI, wrote, “PSA: there’s a guy named Soham Parekh (in India) who works at 3-4 startups at the same time. He’s been preying on YC companies and more. Beware. I fired this guy in his first week and told him to stop lying/scamming people. He hasn’t stopped a year later. No more excuses.”

PSA: there’s a guy named Soham Parekh (in India) who works at 3-4 startups at the same time. He’s been preying on YC companies and more. Beware.

I fired this guy in his first week and told him to stop lying / scamming people. He hasn’t stopped a year later. No more excuses.

— Suhail (@Suhail) July 2, 2025

Doshi also shared Parekh’s resume, which lists experience at Dynamo AI, Union AI, Synthesia and Alan AI in tech roles. The CV mentions his educational background — a bachelor’s from University of Mumbai and a master’s from Georgia Tech.

However, Doshi claimed most of it is fabricated: “Probably 90 per cent fake and most links are gone.”

Probably 90% fake and most links are gone. pic.twitter.com/h9bnLc8Cwj

— Suhail (@Suhail) July 2, 2025

He further said he tried to reason with Parekh, “I want to also say that I tried to talk sense into this guy, explain the impact, and give him a chance to turn a new leaf because sometimes that’s what a person needs. But it clearly didn’t work.”

Netizens calls out hypocrisy

The post exploded on platforms like LinkedIn, X, and Instagram, sparking both outrage and support. Some, including Nicolai Ouporov, CEO of Fleet AI, backed Doshi, “He has been doing this for years and works at more than 4 startups at any given time.”

But others weren’t buying into the outrage. “So it’s okay for founders to run multiple companies at once but not okay for an employee to have multiple jobs?! Make it make sense,” a user wrote.

Another questioned whether performance should matter more: “Who cares… is he performing? If so, then who cares. These same companies will do a RIF out of nowhere and not blink an eye… you think they deserve some undying loyalty?”

Some users even suggested Parekh may have been using AI tools effectively to manage multiple roles. “Everyone is assuming that he has just been sub-contracting out the work. But if he is smart and hardworking and really knows how to leverage AI coding tools, it’s totally possible to do good work at multiple jobs compared to the median developer,” one comment read.

Others, however, pointed to larger systemic issues in remote hiring: “What about people who interview and on the first day of work a different person shows up? That is a thing. What about people who have 10 of their family members doing their work for them in a sweatshop garage? Get rid of all H1B and overseas workers and train US Citizens to do the work.”

‘Not proud of what I’ve done’: Soham Parekh responds

In latest development in the saga, the man in question, Soham Parekh, has responded to the allegations against him. Parekh confirmed the accusations but maintained that he had not acted out of malice or greed, admitting that he is not proud of his actions.

In a podcast, he said, “It is true,” when asked directly whether he had been employed at several companies simultaneously. “Honestly, going back to how it started and what the motivations were… I would want to preface by saying I’m not proud of what I’ve done. It’s not something I endorse either,” he said.

“Financial circumstances, essentially,” he explained. “No one really likes to work 140 hours a week, but I had to do it out of necessity.”

What exactly is ‘moonlighting’, is it illegal?

Moonlighting refers to taking on multiple jobs, often without informing the primary employer. It has become more common in the tech sector, especially post-pandemic. But is it against the law?

Legally, moonlighting in India isn’t explicitly illegal, but most employers include non-compete clauses and policies that restrict dual employment. If an employee violates such clauses, the company has the right to take disciplinary action.

Why do employers object to moonlighting?

i) Conflict of Interest – Working for competitors or misusing insider knowledge.
ii) Confidentiality Breach – Leaking or using proprietary information elsewhere.
iii) Resource Misuse – Using office equipment or time for other work.
iv) Productivity Loss – Divided attention or availability concerns.