The SEC said that weeks before an announcement of Abbott’s acquisition of Advanced Medical Optics, Mazzo told DeCinces about the deal. As CEO of Advanced Medical Optics, Mazzo knew about it. DeCinces then bought 90,700 shares of AMO through several brokerage accounts, according to the SEC.
DeCinces, in turn, passed the information to at least five people, including Parker and Murray, the SEC says, and they all bought AMO stock.
The merger agreement was announced on Jan. 12, 2009. Abbott agreed to pay $22 a share for AMO. That day, the stock closed at $21.50 a share — a 143 percent jump from $8.85 a share the day before.
DeCinces sold his shares for a profit of about $1.38 million, the SEC said. And it said the five people DeCinces tipped off made a total of $2.4 million in alleged illegal profits.
The Orioles declined to comment Friday.
Though salaries for top players during his day were not what they are now, Murray signed several free-agent contracts in the 1990s and made tens of millions in the game. He protected his privacy and had a reputation for being surly with reporters, but Murray was an unquestioned clubhouse leader who was respected by teammates and opponents alike.