Southwark Crown Court heard that Chowdhury secured eight different jobs between February 2020 and September 2023, earning a total of £349,378 before the alleged fr@ud was uncovered.
He allegedly worked across several government departments, including the Food Standards Agency, the Home Office and the Department for Business and Trade, while holding multiple taxpayer-funded positions.
At the height of the alleged scheme, Chowdhury was reportedly contracted to work 183 hours per week across five full-time roles.
The court also heard that his line manager at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Dan McCartney, had concerns about his performance, describing his work as poor and saying he had to give him instructions because he could not work independently.
Despite the concerns, Chowdhury was made a permanent employee under a policy covering fixed-term staff who were not subject to formal performance measures.
Prosecutors also alleged that he smeared white make-up on his face to make himself appear unwell during an online meeting after suspicions were raised about his work.
Chowdhury, who earned £52,000 annually at Defra, allegedly told his employers that he was struggling because his mother had been diagnosed with c@ncer.
He denies nine counts of fr@ud. The trial is ongoing.
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