German Gorbuntsov
{{Short description|Russian banker}}
{{Infobox person
| name = German Gorbuntsov
| image = Germanvalergorb.jpg
| alt = German Gorbuntsov
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|04|12|df=y}}
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| occupation = businessman, banker
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German Valeryevich Gorbuntsov ({{Langx|ru|Герман Валерьевич Горбунцов}}, born 12 April 1966) is a Russian businessman, banker.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17493529 Shot former Russian banker German Gorbuntsov 'critical'], BBC, 23 March 2012Sam Marsden, [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/exrussian-banker-german-gorbuntsov-hurt-in-shooting-7583866.html Ex-Russian banker German Gorbuntsov hurt in shooting], The Independent, 23 March 2012, accessed 3 March 2022[http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/03/23/german-gorbuntsov-former-russian-banker-canary-wharf-shooting_n_1375575.html?ref=uk German Gorbuntsov: Former Russian Banker In Critical Condition After Canary Wharf Shooting], The Huffington Post, 23 March 2012Sandra Laville, [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/mar/23/russian-banker-coma-london-shooting Russian banker in coma after London shooting], The Guardian, 23 March 2012, accessed 3 March 2022 He was a member of the board of directors of the banks: Inter-Rus, Bank Industrial Credit, InterCredit Bank, VIP Money Transfer, Conversbank-Moscow and Interprogress.[http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/1898598, Personal dossier on German Gorbuntsov], Kommersant, 23 March 2012
Biography
In 2006, Gorbuntsov became the owner of HC Spartak Moscow hockey club and his close friend Pyotr Chuvilin became the director.{{Cite web|title=Investigators Arrested in Bribery Case {{!}} News|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/sitemap/free/2008/6/article/investigators-arrested-in-bribery-case/368303.html|access-date=2020-08-02|website=The Moscow Times}} 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”.{{Cite web|title=История хоккейной команды СПАРТАК МОСКВА - Горбунцов Герман Валерьевич |trans-title=The history of the hockey team SPARTAK MOSCOW - Gorbuntsov German Valerievich |url=http://www.spartak-history.ru/hist/persons/detail.php?ID=31335|access-date=2018-05-20|website=www.spartak-history.ru}} Later, in 2009-2011, he was also the chairman of the board of Spartak.
At the end of 2008, Gorbuntsov acquired about 80 percent of the shares of Moldovan bank Universalbank. According to media reports that same year, the banker received Moldovan citizenship.{{cite web|url=http://www.anorak.co.uk/320823/news/german-gorbuntsov-who-is-the-wanted-russian-banker-shot-in-london.html/|title=German Gorbuntsov: who is the wanted Russian banker shot in London?|date=19 April 2012|website=Anorak.co.uk}}
Gorbuntsov co-owned Capital Commercial Bank. He later provided a list of Russian Railways contractors to journalists, many of which used the bank, and were implicated in possible corruption.{{Cite news |last=Bergin |first=Tom |last2=Grey |first2=Stephen |date=19 Dec 2014 |title=Comrade Capitalism |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/russia#article-3-hidden-tracks |access-date=1 Jul 2022}}
German Gorbuntsov survived an unsuccessful attempt on his life on 20 March 2012 in central London.{{cite news|last=Walker|first=Shaun|title=Exclusive interview: German Gorbuntsov - the banker shot six times in London|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/exclusive-interview-german-gorbuntsov--the-banker-shot-six-times-in-london-7827996.html|work=The Independent|accessdate=2013-03-25|date=8 June 2012}} According to The Guardian, the assassination attempt on Gorbuntsov originated from the Solntsevskaya Bratva organized crime syndicate in Moscow.{{Cite news|last=Harding|first=Luke|date=2013-04-09|title=Moldovan connection: on trail of alleged hitman suspected in London hit|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/apr/09/moldova-hitman-london|access-date=2020-07-31|issn=0261-3077}} Gorbuntsov, who was seriously injured, was hospitalized in critical condition and put into an artificial coma, which he was kept in until 1 April.{{Cite web|author=Lisa Du|title=A Former Russian Banker Is In A Coma After Being Shot In London By A Submachine Gun|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/german-gorbuntsov-2012-3|accessdate=2019-04-30|publisher=Business Insider}} A criminal case was brought against Vladimir Plahotniuc in Russia for the alleged assassination attempt of Gorbuntsov;{{Cite web|date=2017-12-27|title=Interpol Rejects Russian Request to List Moldova Leader|url=https://balkaninsight.com/2017/12/27/interpol-rejects-russian-request-to-list-moldova-leader-12-27-2017/|access-date=2020-08-02|website=Balkan Insight|language=en-US}} 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."
References
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