The Soham Parekh controversy has taken a new turn after Arkadiy Telegin, founder of US-based AI startup Leaping AI, posted screenshots of conversations with the Indian tech professional. Telegin accused Parekh of using the India-Pakistan tensions during Operation Sindoor to emotionally manipulate him into approving delayed pull requests. He shared the details on X (formerly Twitter), stating that Parekh falsely presented himself as being caught in a conflict zone while residing in Mumbai.
Soham also used to guilt trip me for his being slow on PRs when India Pakistan thing was going on, all while he was in Mumbai.
Next person should hire him for the Chief Intelligence Officer role. pic.twitter.com/kYZqkpWIse
— Arkadiy Telegin (@akyshnik) July 2, 2025
Screenshot Shows Claims of Drone Strike Near Parekh’s Home
In the screenshots dated during Operation Sindoor, Parekh sent Telegin a message at 2:29 AM claiming, “Drone shot down 10 minutes away.” When Telegin asked if he was safe, Parekh responded that a building close to his home had sustained damage. Telegin claimed that Parekh used the situation to guilt-trip him for not acting faster on code pull requests. He sarcastically added, “The next person should hire him for the Chief Intelligence Officer role.”
Allegations Spark Debate Over Ethics and Employment
Telegin’s post sparked mixed reactions online. Some users accused him of exploiting cheap labor, to which he responded by revealing the compensation package he had offered Parekh ranging from $150,000 to $200,000, along with company equity. The post has since gained traction as more startup founders joined the conversation to share similar experiences involving Parekh’s alleged moonlighting.
Other Startup CEOs Confirm Soham Parekh Worked With Multiple Firms
Several startup leaders, including Flo Crivello (CEO of Lindy), Matthew Parkhurst (CEO of Antimetal), Nicolai Ouporov (co-founder of Fleet AI), and Adish Jain (founder of Mosaic), confirmed that Parekh worked at their companies around the same time. Crivello stated, “We hired this guy a week ago. Fired this morning. He did so incredibly well in interviews, must have a lot of training.” The ongoing accusations continue to fuel discussions on remote work ethics and hiring practices in the startup ecosystem.
Must Read: Who Is Soham Parekh? Indian Tech Employee Caught For Moonlighting With Several Other US Companies
