In a tweet that ignited social media and quickly racked up over 11 million views, former events team lead Alex Cohen revealed he was fired from Astronomer after inadvertently exposing an alleged affair between the company’s CEO Andy Byron and HR Director Kristin Cabot. According to Cohen, the incident unfolded at a Coldplay concert — ironically one he had helped organize as part of his job. But what seemed like a simple internal scandal has now unraveled into a corporate crisis with legal threats, whistleblower allegations, and mounting public pressure.

THE TWEET THAT SHOCKED THE INTERNET

“I was fired from Astronomer today,” Cohen began in the now-viral tweet. “Turns out our CEO and Head of HR were having an affair and got caught at the Coldplay concert that I bought the company tickets to. They blamed me for getting caught and fired me on the spot.”

What appeared at first to be a bitter post-layoff complaint turned into a firestorm within hours. The bluntness of Cohen’s tweet struck a chord with users tired of corporate hypocrisy, leading to an outpouring of support, calls for boycott, and former employees stepping forward with damning revelations.

A CULTURE OF FEAR AND RETALIATION?

Soon after Cohen’s post gained traction, a group of former Astronomer employees released a joint statement claiming they too had been “silenced, blamed, or pushed out” after voicing concerns about the toxic corporate culture and unethical leadership behavior. “They knew we were planning to reveal the affair, and they moved fast,” one whistleblower said. “It was retaliation disguised as restructuring.”

The employees allege that the company’s leadership team not only orchestrated firings under the pretext of poor performance or “culture fit,” but also attempted to label the unfolding situation as “force majeure” — an unforeseeable event outside their control — in a bid to dodge accountability.

But in this case, the “unforeseeable event” appears to have been their own affair being caught on camera at a public event attended by staff, raising questions about judgment, ethics, and abuse of power.

“THEY BRIBED THE EVIDENCE”

In a bombshell follow-up post, Cohen doubled down, alleging that the company “prepared thoroughly and even bribed the evidence” to cover their tracks. Sources close to the former employee provided screenshots, emails, and even internal Slack messages suggesting that key HR files were altered or deleted shortly before Cohen’s firing.

Even more unsettling? A leaked clip — dubbed the “Rare Football” by employees — allegedly shows the CEO and HR director in a compromising moment during office hours, raising red flags about conduct, favoritism, and professional boundaries.

$30 MILLION LAWSUIT ON THE HORIZON

With support surging and legal teams circling, a class-action lawsuit now appears imminent. A group of ex-employees, including Cohen, is reportedly preparing to sue Astronomer for at least $30 million in damages, citing wrongful termination, emotional distress, and enabling a toxic workplace culture.

“They fired people to protect their secrets,” a former team member said anonymously. “We were scapegoated for being decent, for trying to speak up. But we won’t stay silent anymore.”

WHO IS THE “TRUMP CARD”?

One question remains unanswered: who is the rumored “trump card” the company plans to use as a shield in court? Sources suggest it may be a powerful board member with government ties or a high-level attorney with a reputation for dismantling class-action suits. But critics warn that leaning on such protection may only backfire in today’s climate of accountability.

THE PRICE OF ARROGANCE

As this scandal continues to unfold, Astronomer’s reputation is tanking, with investors reportedly pulling out and PR crisis firms working overtime. Internal sources say trust within the company is shattered, and current employees fear more firings or NDAs being enforced.

For now, Alex Cohen stands as a symbol of defiance against corporate injustice — a young professional who simply did his job, got caught in the crossfire of power games, and chose to speak the truth.

As he wrote: “Taking some time to reflect and will start looking for jobs soon.” But with this kind of firepower — and public sympathy — Cohen may not be the one out of options.