Eight overlapping jobs, £350,000 pay: how civil servant Kashim Chowdhury got away with juggling five jobs for so long
Fraud verdict and earnings
Chowdhury, 56, was found guilty on Monday of nine counts of fraud. The judge said he would face a “very substantial custodial sentence”. The report says he had eight overlapping full-time public-sector jobs from 2020 to 2023 and received £350,000 in pay. His fraudulently obtained amount was more than £284,000. He left the Civil Service in September 2023.
How the jobs stayed hidden
Chowdhury used sick notes from his GP to cover an impossible daily schedule, according to the report. His illness did not stop him taking another job at the Home Office, where he did not disclose that he was ill or working elsewhere.
Questions over oversight
Hannah Keenan of the Institute for Government said the system had failed because departments made hiring decisions independently, without joined-up systems. More than 550,000 people work across the Civil Service.
Money and consequences
In September 2023, Chowdhury had more than £40,000 in bank accounts and significant investments, including £45,000 in premium bonds. The jury took seven hours to reach its verdict and concluded he acted for personal gain.
A Defra spokesperson said Chowdhury had abused public trust and defrauded taxpayers of almost £285,000. The department said it would pursue all available avenues to recover the proceeds.
Key points
- Chowdhury was convicted of nine fraud counts after holding eight overlapping public-sector jobs.
- He was paid £350,000 and fraudulently obtained more than £284,000 in taxpayers’ money.
- An Institute for Government expert said departments lacked systems connecting their hiring decisions.
- Defra said it would seek to recover the proceeds of Chowdhury’s offending.