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Los Angeles billionaire Ron Burkle’s

Yucaipa Cos.

bought Garrard, the U.K.’s Crown jeweler for more than 150 years, for about $20 million to $30 million, according to reports on Tuesday. Yucaipa did not disclose financial details of the agreement. The sale effectively ends the company’s eight-year association with luxury retailer Asprey. Struggling Asprey was acquired by Sciens Capital Management and Plainfield Asset Management just last week in a management buyout and was renamed Asprey International. Asprey & Garrard entered into bankruptcy last month, erasing nearly $500 million invested in the business in recent years.

– American Soil Technologies Inc.

has agreed to acquire Advanced Fertilizer Technologies Inc., a subsidiary of technology transfer company UTEK Corp., in an all-stock transaction. Delaware corporation UTEK will exchange all of the shares of common stock of Plant City, Fla.-based Advanced Fertilizer for newly issued shares of Series B Preferred stock of Pacoima-based American Soil. American Soil said it is gaining a patented technology that provides a cost-effective method for producing fertilizer from plant nutrients.

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GE Healthcare Financial Services has arranged a $161 million senior secured credit facility for

Primedex Health Systems Inc.

and its subsidiary, Radnet Management Inc. The $161 million credit facility for the Los Angeles-based outpatient diagnostic imaging facility operator consists of a $15 million five-year revolving credit facility, an $86 million five-year term loan B and a $60 million six-year second lien term loan. Primedex will use the proceeds to pay down existing debt and provide liquidity for working capital, as well as for other general corporate needs.