Photo: Green Lake County Sheriff's Office
Ryan Borgwardt, a 45-year-old from Wisconsin who allegedly faked his own death in August, is now in custody in Green Lake County, Wisconsin. Borgwardt, a husband and father of three, was reported missing on August 11 after he texted his wife that he was returning from a kayaking trip on Green Lake. His overturned kayak and life jacket were found, leading authorities to believe he had drowned. However, extensive search efforts, including divers and drones, failed to locate his body.
In October, investigators discovered that Borgwardt's name had been checked by law enforcement in Canada just two days after his disappearance. Further investigation revealed that he had been communicating with a woman from Uzbekistan and had engaged in suspicious activities such as clearing his browser history, inquiring about moving funds to foreign banks, obtaining a new passport, and securing a new life insurance policy.
According to Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll, Borgwardt admitted to faking his death by overturning his kayak, dumping his phone in the lake, and using an inflatable boat to reach the shore. He then rode an e-bike to Madison, Wisconsin, took a bus to Detroit, and eventually crossed into Canada before flying to Eastern Europe. Borgwardt cited "personal matters" as his reason for faking his death.
The search for Borgwardt's body cost over $35,000, and authorities are considering charges for obstructing the investigation.