Privateer Rum CEO Andrew Cabot Was Working Abroad When Wife Kristin Got Caught in Coldplay ‘Kiss Cam’ Scandal
For most of his life, Andrew Cabot, CEO of the luxury liquor brand Privateer Rum, seemed to embody New England tradition and stability. A direct descendant of one of Massachusetts’ most prominent families — the Cabots, part of the historic “Boston Brahmin” lineage — Andrew inherited not just a name but a legacy.
But when he boarded a plane for a work trip to Japan earlier this month, he had no idea he would return to find himself at the center of one of the internet’s latest scandals — one involving his wife, a Coldplay concert, and a jumbotron moment that now has the entire country talking.
A Trip Abroad, A Scandal at Home
According to a source close to the situation, Andrew Cabot was traveling for several weeks on an overseas business trip when the now-infamous “kiss cam” incident took place.
While Andrew was in Asia, his wife, Kristin Cabot, attended a Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts. What should have been an ordinary night of music and fun turned into viral chaos when a camera panned across the crowd — and landed on Kristin.
Beside her was Andy Byron, the then-CEO of New York-based software firm Astronomer.
What happened next exploded online: the pair appeared uncomfortably close on camera, exchanging glances and smiles, before scrambling to duck out of view as the jumbotron caught them. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, always quick to improvise, joked into the microphone:
“Either they’re having an affair — or they’re just very shy.”
The crowd laughed. Social media didn’t stop laughing.
Within hours, clips of the moment were everywhere — TikTok, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter). Hashtags trended. The clip was replayed millions of times. And by the time Andrew Cabot’s plane landed back in the U.S., the internet storm had reached his doorstep.
A Family Blindsided
“Poor guy,” said one person close to the Cabot family, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Andrew had been in Japan for work for a few weeks. He came back Saturday — and this is what he walked into.”
The scandal blindsided more than just Andrew himself. Friends and relatives of the Cabots were also caught off guard.
“There had been little indication of trouble in paradise before this,” the source continued. “They’d only just bought a $2.2 million home in Rye, New Hampshire, just five months ago. As of last month, they were still posting about how in love they were.”
The Fallout for Everyone Involved
The fallout from the jumbotron moment has been swift and relentless.
For Andy Byron, the consequences were immediate: Astronomer placed him on leave while investigating, and by Saturday, he had resigned as CEO. The company’s co-founder, Pete DeJoy, has stepped in as interim CEO.
For Kristin Cabot, who served as an advisory board member and HR head at Privateer Rum, the situation is more complicated. As of now, she has not been officially removed from her position, but the scrutiny is intense.
For Andrew Cabot, the scandal has put his personal and professional life under a magnifying glass. Attempts by reporters to reach Andrew or his company have gone unanswered. Even Privateer Rum’s voicemail box is reportedly full.
Who Is Andrew Cabot?
Andrew Cabot is not just a CEO — he’s a living connection to one of the oldest and wealthiest families in Boston.
His ancestor, the original Andrew Cabot (1750–1791), was a merchant, rum distiller, and privateer during the American Revolution. Today, Privateer Rum honors that history by producing premium, small-batch spirits that retail for upwards of $100 a bottle.
The company markets itself with values like “transparency, honesty, and purity.” One ad even proudly declares:
“Privateer advocates transparency, honesty and purity.”
Those words now hang in the air, as the public wonders how the brand — and the family — will weather this storm.
A Perfect Life, Interrupted
Before this scandal, Andrew and Kristin’s life seemed enviable. Married after Kristin’s 2022 divorce, they settled into New England affluence, posting family photos online that showed wedding rings, two young children, and smiling faces.
They were the picture of stability.
Now, that image has been shattered.
The Public Reaction: Pity, Scorn, and Endless Memes
Online, reactions have been mixed.
Some sympathize deeply with Andrew, framing him as an unwitting victim who returned home from work to find his life in chaos.
Others have been less kind, turning the scandal into a meme-fueled spectacle — yet another example of how quickly the internet can seize on a private moment and turn it into global entertainment.
What Happens Next?
The future of Andrew and Kristin’s marriage remains unclear. Sources claim the couple had been quietly discussing separation before the scandal — though until weeks ago, they were publicly professing their love.
What’s certain is that Andrew Cabot, the man who built his business around authenticity and tradition, is now facing one of the most publicly humiliating tests of his life.
The internet may eventually move on to the next scandal, but for Andrew, the damage — both personal and professional — may last far longer.