"Horrible, unsportsmanlike conduct": Perez Hilton blasts millionaire CEO for snatching child’s signed hat at US Open & defending his "gross" act

Podcaster and celebrity blogger Perez Hilton criticized Polish millionaire CEO Piotr Szczerek after a video of him snatching a signed cap meant for a child at the US Open went viral. In his September 3, 2025, article, Hilton called out the behavior and said:

"Tennis fans were appalled over the weekend at a moment of horrible, unsportsmanlike conduct at the US Open… in the stands."

In his article, Perez Hilton detailed that the incident took place on Thursday, August 28, after tennis player Kamil Majchrzak’s victory.

Following his match, Majchrzak signed memorabilia for fans and appeared to offer his cap to a young boy. He then reported that in a viral video from that day, a man seated nearby “saw Majchrzak distracted” and “snatched the hat before the kid could get it!” The man was not immediately identified.

"He then took it over to his wife to celebrate as the young boy pleaded for it back. Awful," Hilton remarked.

Referring to this incident, Perez Hilton added that that was something everyone had “seen before.” He further said that videos of “adults taking baseballs from children” had been circulating online since the time of “Flash Player.”

However, the podcaster remarked that the internet was a "bit more sophisticated now” and that people were able to identify the aforementioned man soon. Shortly after the video spread across social media, internet users recognized him as Piotr Szczerek, a Polish businessman and CEO of Drogbruk, a paving company.

"A freakin’ millionaire. Stealing from a kid. Gross!," Perez Hilton added.

Perez Hilton further explained how the fallout quickly escalated online. Since the “internet had a target,” netizens began directing the backlash toward Szczerek’s company.

According to him, netizens “went after the guy where it hurt – his business,” and negative comments poured into Drogbruk’s GoWork profile. Hilton added that the company’s ratings even "plummeted to 1.4 stars out of 5 at one point."

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What else did Perez Hilton say about Piotr Szczerek, the man who snatched the signed cap meant for a child?

Perez Hilton (Image via Getty Images)

In the aforementioned website article, Perez Hilton detailed what Piotr Szczerek, the man who grabbed a signed tennis cap meant for a young boy, did after the internet identified him.

The podcaster explained that Szczerek had “reportedly responded” to the backlash in a since-deleted online statement, sparking further outrage over his attitude.

The first of these statements, cited by Hilton, showed Szczerek trying to justify his actions as a matter of speed and opportunity.

"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,” Hilton added, citing what Szczerek reportedly wrote.

Referring to this statement, Hilton did not hold back in his reaction, questioning Szczerek’s defense and criticizing his “CEO mentality” approach. He also pointed out the obvious contradiction in the CEO’s statement, noting that the hat had originally been offered to the child first by the tennis player.

Perez Hilton then reported that in the now-deleted statement, Szczerek had also allegedly asked people to stop being “mean,” warning that legal action could follow if insults continued.

"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… In the end, chin up, hats off, less venom, more sportsmanship," Hilton added, citing what Szczerek reportedly wrote.

However, in the website article, Perez Hilton noted that things shifted after a couple of days of mounting criticism. On Monday, September 1, 2025, Szczerek issued a public statement on Facebook, striking a very different tone.

According to the podcaster, this time, the CEO portrayed himself as a father who had acted out of confusion. In his apology, he admitted:

"That mistaken belief made me reach out instinctively. Today I know I did something that looked like deliberately taking a souvenir from a child. That was not my intention, but it does not change the fact that I hurt the boy and disappointed the fans. The cap has been handed to the boy, and I have apologized to the family."

Hilton reported that in this new statement, Szczerek also highlighted his family’s charitable work, framing the scandal as a “lesson in humility.”

The CEO added that the lesson was “painful but necessary” and that he would be “active in initiatives that support children and youth and in efforts against violence and hate.” He also expressed that he was deeply sorry to everyone he “let down.”

Weighing in on the new statement from Szczerek, Perez Hilton pointed out that it was "tough to prove" whether Szczerek wrote the "initial statement." However, based on his actions, seen in the viral video, Hilton noted that his now-deleted first statement matched the video a lot more than the subsequent apology. He even added that the apology was "too little, too late to help Piotr’s reputation.”

Still, Hilton shared one positive aspect of the entire incident.

He reported that tennis pro Kamil Majchrzak heard about it and reached out to the child, Brock. Majchrzak not only personally met with the boy but also gave him a "new autographed hat!"