🔥 “I REGRET NOTHING”: CEO Finally Speaks Out After US Open Hat Snatching Incident—The Internet Is FURIOUS 😡👔

The incident unfolded in the most unlikely of settings: center court at the US Open, surrounded by flashing cameras, champagne-sipping elites, and eager young fans lining the seats.

Polish CEO Who Snatched US Open Hat Releases Public Statement

Among them was 8-year-old Tyler Martin, a tennis-obsessed third-grader from New Jersey who had spent the past week begging his parents to bring him to the tournament.

It was a dream come true.

He had caught a limited-edition US Open cap—tossed by a player after a hard-fought match.

Tyler was beaming, jumping up and down, hat in hand.

That’s when a sharply dressed man in a navy suit leaned over, said something inaudible, and snatched the cap directly out of Tyler’s hands.

The moment was caught on a courtside camera, and within hours, the clip had gone viral.

But what truly ignited the firestorm was the man’s identity: Gregory Lane, CEO of a luxury real estate tech firm valued at over $2 billion.

Don Lee on X: "(139) CEO BREAKS SILENCE After Snatching Hat From Kid At US Open - YouTube https://t.co/VqZG0SAyg7 https://t.co/6Wgm3st9tf" / X

Lane, 52, is no stranger to cameras, but this time, it wasn’t for a keynote speech—it was for what many called “the most entitled move of the decade.

The footage is damning.Tyler looks confused.

His hands hover in midair for a second, unsure of what just happened.

Lane, meanwhile, puts the cap on his own head, grins, and turns back to his seat.

The crowd buzzes.

And for the next several days, the internet exploded with fury.

Tennis hat thief: CEO snatches kid's souvenir and gets served by the internet

TikTok sleuths tracked down Lane’s LinkedIn, his past interviews, even footage of him speaking at tech conferences about “ethical leadership.

” Hashtags like #HatSnatcher, #USOpenKaren, and #CEOThief trended for three straight days.

Even celebrities joined in—actor Josh Gad tweeted, “Imagine being so rich you steal from a kid at a tennis match.

Disgusting.Yet, as the outrage intensified, Lane said nothing.

No statement.No apology.

No public appearance.

His company’s PR department issued only a vague note: “We are aware of the circulating video and are looking into the matter.

” That silence, for many, was worse than the act itself.

US Open star Kamil Majchrzak breaks silence on 'disgusting' act against child that left fans in uproar - The Mirror

But late last night, after five days of escalating backlash, Gregory Lane broke his silence.

In a carefully worded video uploaded to his personal Instagram (with comments disabled), Lane looked directly into the camera and began:

“There’s been a lot of speculation about the incident at the US Open.

I want to set the record straight.

He doesn’t apologize—at least not immediately.

Jannik Sinner breaks silence on would-be US Open bag thief - Yahoo Sports

Instead, he blames the moment on what he calls a “misunderstanding,” claiming he thought the hat was meant for him and that he “didn’t realize a child was holding it.

” But the video, seen by millions, clearly shows him reaching over the boy’s shoulder, his eyes locked on the cap in Tyler’s small hands.

When pressed by a CBS reporter in a follow-up interview, Lane doubled down:

“I’ve worked hard my whole life.

I’ve earned a seat at events like the US Open.

I wasn’t trying to take anything away from anyone, especially not a kid.

It was a moment—maybe a bad one—but I’m human.

The damage, however, was already done.

Social media users immediately dissected every second of the video and his response.

Critics pointed out the subtle wording, the lack of a direct apology to Tyler, and the way Lane framed himself as the real victim of “internet bullying.

” One tweet, now viral, read: “Imagine stealing from a kid, lying about it, then complaining about being bullied.

Peak CEO behavior.

Meanwhile, Tyler’s family has remained composed—but heartbroken.

His mother, Angela Martin, appeared on “Good Morning America” this morning, holding back tears.

“Tyler cried the whole ride home.

He asked why grown-ups are allowed to take things from kids.

I didn’t know what to say.

She says they were never contacted by Lane or his team.

Not even a note.Outrage has now reached new heights.

A Change.org petition calling for Lane’s resignation from his company has amassed over 300,000 signatures in less than 48 hours.

Protesters even showed up outside the firm’s Manhattan HQ holding signs that read: “You Can’t Steal Integrity” and “Apologize to Tyler.

Brand partners are quietly backing away.

One major sponsor, who had recently closed a commercial real estate deal with Lane’s company, has reportedly paused all collaborations “pending internal review.

And now, perhaps most haunting of all: Lane has gone dark again.

His Instagram post was deleted.

His Twitter account locked.

CEO apologizes for snatching tennis star's hat from boy at U.S. Open: "Poor judgment and hurtful actions" - CBS News

His office reportedly closed “for security reasons.

But the public isn’t forgetting.Not this time.

Because what happened at the US Open wasn’t just a selfish moment—it was a symbol.

A symbol of unchecked power, of the arrogance that comes when people believe their money protects them from consequences.

And this time, that belief got broadcast in 4K.

Tyler, for his part, just wants his hat back.

And maybe, just maybe, an apology.

But as the world watches Gregory Lane vanish once more into silence, the question lingers like a shadow across center court: What does it say about someone who takes from a child—and only speaks when forced?

And what does it say about all of us, if we let them get away with it?