SAN FRANCISCO — The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has accused a former SAP America Inc. software executive of providing insider information about upcoming mergers to individuals who made more than $500,000 by trading risky, short-term securities based on the tips.

Christopher Salis, a former global vice president of SAP America, was charged Thursday with insider trading for allegedly tipping off his friend, Douglas Miller, prior to SAP’s acquisition of Conur Technologies Inc. in 2014.