Soham Parekh, whose multi-startup scam grabbed headlines, sparks online outrage as he returns to set up new shop
Soham Parekh, who was recently accused of working simultaneously at multiple startups, has finally addressed the controversy. The matter gained widespread attention after Suhail Doshi, founder of Playground AI, shared a post on social media accusing Parekh of moonlighting at three to four Y Combinator-backed startups. Parekh contacted Doshi to ask whether he had 'completely sabotaged' his career and how he could 'come clean.' Doshi confirmed the conversation, quoting Parekh's message where he expressed a desire to make amends: 'I do really love what I do.' 'Real Soham Parekh' speaks out
Shortly after, a new post from an account named 'The Real Soham Parekh' added more layers to the unfolding situation. The post claimed he was 'pissed' and had 'something to prove.' The message hinted at a desire to rebuild his reputation, stating, 'If there's one thing to know about me, it's that I love to build.' He claimed he was now working as the founding engineer at a new startup and had signed an exclusive deal, insisting it was with just one company. 'I've been isolated, written off, and shut out… But building is the only thing I've ever truly known,' he wrote. The fallout after Doshi's viral tweet
The controversy erupted after Doshi's viral tweet labeling Parekh a 'scammer' and warning founders to beware. Doshi alleged that Parekh worked at multiple startups at once, provided a falsified CV, and even lied about his visa status. According to Doshi, Parekh had been fired within his first week at Playground AI and had not stopped similar behavior since. Several founders echoed these claims, saying Parekh either worked multiple roles at once or misled them during the hiring process. Some even cancelled trials after seeing the tweet.
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 Background: Education, resume, and red flags
Parekh holds an MS in Computer Science from Georgia Tech and a BE from Mumbai University. His two-page resume, shared online, listed five startups with remote roles, including DynamoAI and GitHub. Questions remain around the legality of holding multiple roles in both India and the US, with companies depending on specific contract clauses. Multiple allegations, one consistent style
Other founders noted that Parekh claimed different reasons for leaving past roles, ranging from 'time zone issues' to 'burning runway.' Despite this, many admitted he performed well in interviews. His email style also caught attention, often starting with 'TL;DR: I love everything about…' and closing with 'Best, Soham.'
With questions unanswered and reputations on the line, the Soham Parekh case continues to stir debate across the startup community. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending . First Published: Jul 03, 2025, 14:58 IST
Nancy Jaiswal is a journalist who started her career in reporting and has covered both hard and soft news. From serious city news developments to lighthearted lifestyle pieces, she has written on almost everything hapenning in India (except maybe alien invasions—yet!). For her, writing isn't just work; it's a passion, an obsession, and sometimes the reason she forgets to reply to texts. Read More
3/7/2025 15:31:16
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