The mystery bidder that engaged in talks with the New York Mets during David Einhorn’s exclusivity period is former Glencore International trader Ray Bartoszek, according to a person familiar with the matter.
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A general view of the fields and stands of Citi Field in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.
Earlier Thursday, it was announced that advanced discussions for the Mets to sell a minority stake to hedge fund investor Einhorn for roughly $200 million had dissolved.
On a conference call with reporters, Einhorn said that part of the reason the negotiations failed was because he learned that the Mets had recently reopened discussions with at least one rival bidder—despite assurances that his negotiations were exclusive.
During the time in question, Einhorn said that he let an exclusivity agreement with the Mets lapse as a "gesture of good faith," because he was under the impression that the two sides were close to a final deal.
Einhorn declined to name the investor in question.
Someone with knowledge of the team's movements said they did meet with at least one rival bidder during a period in which one of the exclusivity agreement with Einhorn had lapsed.
Earlier this year, the NY Post reported that Bartoszek and his business partner Anthony Lanza were in advanced talks with the Mets to purchase a piece of the team.
However, in the days following after that report, the Mets publicly announced they had selected Einhorn as their “preferred partner” for the deal.
It is unclear if Lanza was also involved with the more recent discussions the Mets had with Bartoszek, according to the source.
Bartoszek recently worked as a trader at Glencore International, one of the world's largest producers and marketers of commodities.
Lanza reportedly set up a private-equity firm called Carriage House Partners last year. They could not immediately be reached for comment
A spokesperson for David Einhorn declined to comment.
Earlier Thursday, Mets Chairman Fred Wilpon thanked Einhorn for his interest in the team and said he would move on to talks with other individuals.
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