Nick Greiner entangled in deceptive deal Bradken chair Nick Greiner, was a "hostile" witness according to the judge. Former NSW premier Nick Greiner engaged in "misleading and deceptive" behaviour during an elaborate bid-rigging deal between two companies of which he was a director, a federal court judge said. The two companies are mining services firm Bradken and private equity group CHAMP, a subsidiary of Castle Harlan. Mr Greiner, the current chair of Infrastructure NSW, was also "evasive and hostile" when asked to give evidence in a Victorian court last year. Mr Greiner, Bradken and Bradken's managing director, Brian Hodges, were last week ordered to pay $21.6 million to Swiss company Pala. The judge found Mr Greiner had used his positions at the two companies to hoodwink Pala into selling its mining-parts manufacturer - Norcast- for less than it was worth. Mr Greiner was on the board of both Castle Harlan, which purchased Norcast from Pala, and Bradken, which purchased Norcast from Castle Harlan seven hours later. In reasons for her judgment, which were supressed until now to allow both parties to redact commercially sensitive information, Justice Michelle Gordon said Mr Greiner had intimate knowledge of the deal which resulted in his affiliated firm winning a "fee." "Put simply, Greiner was involved and had knowledge of the essential elements from the start to the finish," she said. (His) subjective, operative purpose was equally to ensure that Castle Harlan (of which Mr Greiner is affiliated) made a bid. Bradken expressed an interest in buying Norcast in 2011. It claimed it was excluded from the sale process, in which Castle Harlan purchased Norcast for $190 million. Seven hours later, Castle Harlan sold it to Bradken for $202 million and pocketed the difference. Norcast told the court it would have received $US22.4 million more if Bradken had been the purchaser. Mr Greiner is the deputy chair of Castle Harlan's Australian affiliate, CHAMP. But when cross-examined over an email detailing a deal between Castle Harlan and Bradken, Greiner was "hostile and eventually contended that he did not recall what he meant." In the email, Mr Greiner tells Leonard Harlan, chairman of Castle Harlan, and Howard Morgan, co-president of Castle Harlan, that Bradken's involvement "would not be disclosable [sic] to the ASX until the deal was effectively done." As Bradken has all the necessary cash, there would be no cash requirement for [Castle Harlan]. He adds, "Bradken must absolutely get "value" for this." Justice Gordon said Bradken had tried to be discrete about the scheme by leaving few records of conversations. "Norcast relied upon Bradken's silence about the bidding provision," she said. Bradken represented that it was not involved in Castle Harlan's acquisition of [Norcast]. That conduct was misleading and deceptive. Mr Greiner and Mr Hodges, who is also accused of deceptive behaviour, said on 19 March they would appeal the Federal Court decision.