Ryan Borgwardt, authorities said is a husband and father he faked his death and fled the U.S. He is being held in Wisconsin, according to the Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll will announce more details at a news conference at 11 a.m. Wednesday.
Undated booking photo of Ryan Borgwardt.
Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office
The case began on Aug. 11, when Borgwardt texted his wife that his kayak was rolling in Green Lake and soon headed for shore, Podoll said.
But the father of three never came home.
Green Lake County authorities and volunteers search for missing kayaker Ryan Borgwardt.
WBAY
Responders found Borgwardt’s overturned kayak and life jacket in the lake and believed he had drowned, authorities said.
Crews searched the lake for weeks using divers, drones, sonar and a K-9, but never found the body, officials said.
Green Lake County authorities and volunteers search for missing kayaker Ryan Borgwardt.
WBAY
In October, investigators discovered Borgwardt’s name had been checked by Canadian law enforcement two days after he disappeared in the lake, the sheriff said.
Authorities also learned Borgwardt was communicating with a woman from Uzbekistan, the sheriff said.
An undated photo of Ryan Borgwardt, who authorities believe faked his death in a Wisconsin lake and fled to Europe.
Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office
Including another suspicious behavior by Borgwardt: The sheriff asked about clearing his browsers, moving funds to foreign banks, getting a new passport and getting new life insurance the day he disappeared.
Authorities determined that Borgwardt was alive outside the country, but did not know exactly where he was. Authorities contacted a Russian-speaking woman who reached Borgwardt on Nov. 11 through that woman, officials said.
Borgwardt told police he was safe, but did not reveal his location, the sheriff said.
Ryan Borgwardt filmed a video of himself at the request of the authorities. He said he is safe, but did not reveal his location.
Posted by Green Lake County Sheriffs Office
Podoll said Borgwardt revealed to them how he faked his death.
“He stored an electric bicycle near the boat launch. He paddled his kayak into the lake in a child-sized floating boat. He flipped the kayak and threw the phone into the lake,” the sheriff said. “He rowed the inflatable boat ashore and got on his electric bike and rode overnight to Madison, Wisconsin. At Madison, he got on a bus and went to Detroit, and then to the Canadian border. He continued on the bus. We went to an airport and got on a plane.”
One of the reasons Borgwardt chose Green Lake is because it is one of the deepest lakes in the state, Podoll said.
