Rio had dumped Chinalco to pursue a Pilbara iron ore joint venture with BHP - a move that came as a relief to Canberra, but angered the Chinese government and steel makers, and saw Rio Tinto dubbed "a dishonourable woman" in the Chinese media. The men initially had the backing and support of their employer. That changed after the guilty plea of Hu and two of the others, and the evidence of bribes presented in court. Rio Tinto's then chief of iron ore, Sam Walsh, labelled the behaviour "deplorable", and the four were officially sacked.