Andy Byron’s apology letter hides a big secret; here is the truth behind his statement after the viral Coldplay video with Kristin Cabot

Astronomer CEO Andy Byron reportedly issued an apology letter after he was caught in an intimate situation with Kristin Cabot, the company’s Chief People Officer, during a Coldplay concert in Boston, Massachusetts. The statement by the top officer at the billion-dollar tech firm posted on X by a person claiming to be from CBS News seemed to have given his side of the story. But in just a few hours, it was firmly debunked as fake.

The controversy, dubbed “ColdplayGate” online, exploded after a video from a Coldplay concert in Foxborough, Massachusetts, showed a man and woman caught on the venue’s kiss cam in a close embrace. The pair were soon identified by internet sleuths and media outlets as Byron and Astronomer’s Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot. The moment drew millions of views and sparked a firestorm of speculation.

The truth behind the apology statement

But the situation escalated further when a lengthy “apology” attributed to Byron began circulating online. The statement, which appeared polished and emotionally contrite, was shared by several tabloid news outlets and went viral across social media. However, the Astronomer has now confirmed the message is a fabrication.

“This is not a real statement,” said Taylor Jones, a spokesperson for Astronomer, in an email response to Men’s Journal, which had requested verification.

Who is Peter Enis?

The fake apology was first posted by a parody account on X (formerly Twitter) under the name “Peter Enis CBS News" (@PeterEnisCBS), a fictitious alias meant as a double entendre. Despite the account’s previous label as a parody, several British tabloid outlets, including The Mirror, published the fake message as if it were real, with one headline even claiming Byron had “hit out at Coldplay.”

Jones declined to answer further questions about whether Byron or Cabot intends to make a public statement. To date, neither executive has issued an official comment. For now, the account has been suspended.

Two fake statements are now circulating, both falsely attributed to Byron. One was made to resemble a message posted from Astronomer’s official X account, but it does not appear on the company’s verified page. The other, debunked by Jones, appeared on the parody “Peter Enis” account and was widely shared before being exposed.

Adding to the confusion, Astronomer’s former CEO and co-founder, Ry Walker, also stepped in to debunk one of the fake messages. “For those asking, I’m no longer involved in @astronomerio,” Walker wrote on X. “Yes, I was co-founder and early CEO – not on the team or board since 2022, and have no information on ColdplayGate.” He added that the statement was a “funny parody,” confirming it was not from Byron.

The scrutiny is not ending

Public interest in the situation has extended beyond the workplace. Byron’s wife, Megan Kerrigan Byron, has reportedly scrubbed her social media accounts, though she has made no public comment. The couple, both 50, reside in Northborough, Massachusetts, and have two children.

Meanwhile, scrutiny has also intensified around Kristin Cabot, Astronomer’s CPO, who has likewise remained silent. According to the New York Post, Cabot has been divorced from Kenneth Thornby since 2022. It is unclear whether she is currently remarried.