CEO issues new statement after ‘stealing’ that kids’ hat, claims earlier nasty response was fake

The saga that is the CEO stealing a tennis star’s hat from a kid is only getting crazier, because now, the millionaire has claimed his earlier statement was fake – he’s actually incredibly sorry.

It all started on August 28 when Kamil Majchrzak emerged victorious against Russia’s Karen Khachanov at the US Open. When thanking his supporters afterwards, the cameraman caught the moment that Polish CEO Piotr Szczerek supposedly stole Kamil’s hat from the hands of a literal child. The kid reached for it, with the millionaire pulling it back and shoving it into the bag of the woman he was with.

Though it was believed that the alleged hat thief, Piotr Szczerek, issued a cutting response to the backlash online, he has now claimed that it was fake.

This statement is allegedly fake

Polish millionaire CEO who snatched a hat meant for a child on live TV at the US Open speaks out.

“Yes, I took it. Yes, I did it quickly. But as I’ve always said, life is first come, first served… If you were faster, you would have it… I remind you that insulting a public… pic.twitter.com/lEaX9BxkPJ

— FearBuck (@FearedBuck) August 31, 2025

Okay, so after the initial humdrum, numerous sites, including Dextero, reported that Piotr Szczerek had written a rather pointed message on a Polish business site.

“The recent incident at the tennis match has caused a disproportionate online uproar. It’s all about the famous hat, of course. Yes, I took it. Yes, I did it quickly. But as I’ve always said, life is first-come, first-served,” he allegedly wrote.

“I understand that some people might not like it, but please, let’s not make a global scandal out of the hat. It’s just a hat. If you were faster, you would have it. Regarding online hate, I remind you that insulting a public figure is subject to legal liability. All offensive comments, slander, and insinuations will be analysed for the possibility of taking the matter to court. In the end, chin up, hats off, less venom, more sportsmanship.”

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However, in a statement posted directly from his company’s Instagram, Piotr Szczerek dubbed the earlier statement “fake” and instead apologised to the young boy.

Here’s CEO Piotr Szczerek’s official statement after the hat debacle

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A post shared by Producent kostki brukowej / Projekty kostki DROGBRUK (@drogbruk)

The translated statement from the CEO read: “Due to the situation that occurred during Kamil Majchrzak’s match at the US Open, I would like to unequivocally apologise to the injured boy, his family, all the fans, and the player himself.

“I made a grave mistake. In the midst of emotion, amidst the crowd’s celebration after my victory, I was convinced that the tennis player was passing the cap to me – for my sons, who had previously asked for autographs. This mistaken belief caused me to instinctively reach out.

“Today I know that I did something that looked like I deliberately took a souvenir from a child. It wasn’t my intention, but that doesn’t change the fact that I hurt the boy and disappointed the fans.”

He further claimed that “the cap was given to the boy”, despite Kamil Majchrzak gifting him one after the viral story, and that “I hope that I have at least partially repaired the harm.”

“I also want to make it clear: neither I, my wife, nor my sons commented on this situation on social media or on any website. We did not use the services of any law firm in this regard. All alleged statements appearing online are not ours,” he added.

“For years, my wife and I have been involved in helping children and young athletes, but this situation has shown me that one moment of inattention can undo years of work and support. This is a painful but necessary lesson in humility for me.”

Trying to “rebuild trust” after the hat drama, CEO Piotr Szczerek ended the statement by sharing his intention to be “even more actively involved in initiatives supporting children.”

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