Mets on verge of sale to hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen

• "It would also be the biggest step in the re-emergence of Mr. Cohen. ... [He] was a major figure in New York society and the art world when his fund became embroiled in a series of insider trading investigations that began after 2009," per NYT.
• "He was never charged with wrongdoing, but his firm ultimately paid nearly $2 billion in fines and he agreed not to manage outside money for two years."

The state of play: Current owner Fred Wilpon, 83, would continue to serve as chairman for five years and his son, Jeff, would remain chief operating officer for that same time.

• Fred bought half the team in 1980, and the other half in 2002. Cohen bought a minority stake in 2012, as the Wilpons struggled to recover from losses suffered in Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme.

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