If an interested party wanted to "front run" any kind of deal....they would have to disclose intent after purchasing up to 5% of the outstanding stock. It is a 13-D.
Schedule 13D is an SEC filing that must be submitted to the US Securities and Exchange Commission within 10 days by anyone who acquires beneficial ownership of more than 5% of any class of publicly traded securities in a public company.
Once that happens, then the proverbial cat has been let out of the bag.