A moment of indiscretion at a Coldplay concert, captured for thousands to see, has triggered a professional and personal earthquake for a former tech CEO and his colleague. The scandal, which erupted in July, has led to high-profile resignations, a storm of online abuse, and a public test of a marriage.
The Viral Moment and Immediate Fallout
During the band's performance in Boston on 16 July, the concert's 'kisscam' focused on Andy Byron, the then 51-year-old CEO of data firm Astronomer, and Kristin Cabot, 53, the company's head of human resources. The pair were seen in an intimate embrace before quickly separating, their attempts to duck away immortalised after Coldplay frontman Chris Martin quipped to the crowd, "Either they're having an affair or they're very shy."
The footage spread rapidly online, forcing a reckoning. Both individuals were placed on leave as Astronomer launched an investigation. Byron resigned as CEO shortly after, with Cabot following suit. In the aftermath, Byron's wife, Megan, 50, changed her social media name to her maiden name, Kerrigan, and left the family home in Northborough, Massachusetts, retreating to a coastal property in Kennebunk, Maine.
Breaking Silence and Claiming Accountability
While Andy Byron has maintained public silence, Kristin Cabot recently spoke to the New York Times. She described the incident as a "one-time, alcohol-fuelled mistake," stating she had consumed a couple of 'High Noon' drinks and "acted inappropriately" with her boss. "I took accountability and I gave up my career for that," she said.
Cabot revealed the intense personal cost, detailing how she has been mocked by celebrities, branded an 'adulterer' by strangers, and received over 60 threats on her life. She claimed she has been told she is now 'unemployable'. To manage the crisis, she hired communications consultant Dini von Mueffling, who previously represented Monica Lewinsky.
Cabot, who was separated from her husband Andrew at the time, filed for divorce on 13 August. She emphasised that plans to end the marriage were already in motion before the concert.
A Marriage in the Spotlight: Signs of Reconciliation?
Despite the initial separation, court records show neither Andy nor Megan Byron has filed for divorce in Massachusetts or Maine. By September, the Daily Mail captured the couple appearing to work on their marriage, enjoying relaxed outings near their Maine home and notably still wearing their wedding rings.
In a telling move, the couple quietly sold their luxury Manhattan apartment for $5.8 million in November. The deed confirmed they remain legally married. These actions behind the scenes suggest a concerted effort to move past the public humiliation.
Cabot told the New York Times that she and Byron remained in contact over the summer but ceased all communication in September, agreeing it was necessary for everyone to heal. The scandal's ripple effects continue, with Cabot's teenage children in therapy and both individuals' lives irrevocably changed by a few seconds on a concert screen.
