[citation needed] In 2006, Gorbuntsov became the owner of HC Spartak Moscow hockey club and his close friend Pyotr Chuvilin became the director.

[6] Three months before the purchase, the hockey team virtually ceased to exist due to financial difficulties, but by December 2006, it had returned to the top division in the Russian championship.

In February 2008, Gorbuntsov received the “Person of the Year 2007” award “For his contribution to the revival of Russian sport”.

[2][3][4][5][10] According to The Guardian, the assassination attempt on Gorbuntsov originated from the Solntsevskaya Bratva organized crime syndicate in Moscow.

[12] A criminal case was brought against Vladimir Plahotniuc in Russia for the alleged assassination attempt of Gorbuntsov;[13] however, Interpol declined to put Plahotniuc on their international wanted list, stating that they "cannot intervene in what are essentially political disputes between member states.