01In brief
Vadim Alekseyev is a competitive swimmer who represented the Soviet Union and later Israel internationally, and who subsequently faced federal criminal charges in the United States. A member of Israel's men's medley relay team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, he helped the quartet reach the first Olympic final in Israeli swimming history. His Israeli national record in the 100-meter breaststroke stood for about 13 years before Tom Be'eri broke it in 2008.
02Career
Alekseyev was named among Olympic finalists in 1988 and 1992 while listed as representing the U.S.S.R.[1] He also won a silver medal at the 1990 Goodwill Games; the same encyclopedia entry describes him as later becoming Israeli.[1]
By the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Alekseyev was competing for Israel. He swam in the men's medley relay alongside Dan Kutler, Yoav Bruck, and Eithan Urbach.[3] The quartet reached the Olympic final and finished eighth, last among the finalists.[3]
03Legacy
Alekseyev's 1996 relay appearance formed part of the first Olympic final reached by an Israeli swimming team.[3] In 2008, Tom Be'eri broke Alekseyev's Israeli national record in the 100-meter breaststroke, which was described at the time as 13 years old.[4] Together, the relay breakthrough and the longevity of his national record mark his place in Israeli swimming history.[3][4]
04Controversies
A federal indictment under Eastern District of New York docket 17-CR-336 charged Alekseyev with conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to obstruct the lawful functions of the Internal Revenue Service.[2] The Justice Department release identified him as 33 years old and from Brooklyn, New York.[2]
The indictment alleged that Alekseyev owned and operated shell companies connected to a health-care fraud and kickback scheme involving Brooklyn-area clinics that purportedly provided physical and occupational therapy to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.[2] Patients were allegedly brought to the clinics through bribes and kickbacks paid to beneficiaries and ambulance drivers, and some treatment was alleged to be medically unnecessary.[2] The release stated that Alekseyev and his alleged co-conspirators submitted claims for more than $40 million in purported therapy sessions and that the clinics received more than $11 million in payments.[2]
The Justice Department stated that the charges were allegations and that all defendants were presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.[2] The cited release did not state an adjudicated outcome for Alekseyev.[2]
Sources
- 1Encyclopedia.com, Sports, accessed on September 26, 2026.
- 2U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Dept. of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York, accessed on September 26, 2026.
- 3Ynetnews, ‘Those who labeled me model or party boy did so at their own peril’, accessed on September 26, 2026.
- 4The Jerusalem Post, Iranian refuses to race Israeli swimmer in Beijing, accessed on September 26, 2026.
IsraelPedia Question & Answers
Who is Vadim Alekseyev?
Vadim Alekseyev is a competitive swimmer who represented the Soviet Union and later Israel internationally. A member of Israel's men's medley relay team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, he helped the quartet reach the first Olympic final in Israeli swimming history. He subsequently faced federal criminal charges in the United States.
What did Vadim Alekseyev achieve at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics?
At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Vadim Alekseyev swam in the men's medley relay alongside Dan Kutler, Yoav Bruck, and Eithan Urbach. The quartet reached the Olympic final and finished eighth, last among the finalists, marking the first time an Israeli swimming team had reached an Olympic final.
What was Vadim Alekseyev's record in the 100-meter breaststroke?
Vadim Alekseyev held the Israeli national record in the 100-meter breaststroke for about 13 years before Tom Be'eri broke it in 2008.
What federal charges did Vadim Alekseyev face in the United States?
A federal indictment in the Eastern District of New York charged Vadim Alekseyev with conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to obstruct the lawful functions of the Internal Revenue Service. The indictment alleged that he owned and operated shell companies connected to a health-care fraud and kickback scheme involving Brooklyn-area clinics that purportedly provided physical and occupational therapy to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Alekseyev and his alleged co-conspirators were said to have submitted claims for more than $40 million in purported therapy sessions, with the clinics receiving more than $11 million in payments.