A viral moment at a Coldplay concert on July 16 at Gillette Stadium, Massachusetts, has derailed the careers of two senior executives from the data orchestration firm Astronomer-but legal experts say it won’t affect the finances of former CEO Andy Byron in his ongoing divorce.
The internet erupted after a video from the concert showed Byron and Astronomer’s Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot sharing what appeared to be an affectionate embrace on the stadium’s jumbotron. Making the situation more dramatic, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin jokingly said, “Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy,” triggering a storm of speculation, memes, and online outrage across TikTok, Reddit, and Twitter.
Execs resign following online backlash
Both Byron and Cabot were quickly placed on leave after the video surfaced. Amid growing internal and public pressure, both resigned from their roles within weeks. Astronomer confirmed leadership changes via internal communications but has not issued a public statement on the matter.
California divorce law: No-fault means no financial penalty for cheating
Despite the highly publicised nature of the scandal, legal experts confirm that Byron is unlikely to face any financial penalty in divorce court. According to California law, infidelity does not influence the division of assets or spousal support. Family law attorney Richard Sullivan explained that California follows a no-fault divorce system, meaning personal misconduct like cheating is irrelevant unless it involved misuse of shared marital funds.
Cheating only matters if money was spent on the affair
Unless Byron’s spouse can prove that community funds were used for travel, gifts, or other expenses related to an affair, there will be no financial consequence. Reputation damage, while personally and professionally significant, does not factor into legal divorce settlements in California.
Though both executives are now jobless and their reputations severely impacted, legal experts say California’s dispassionate legal system won’t punish Byron financially for a viral moment. The incident may live on online, but in court, it holds little weight.
