Authorities finally arrested a man after he faked his own death and vanished in August 2024.
Videos by Wide Open Country
No charges have been filed at the time of writing, but Ryan Borgwardt, 45, arrived at Green Lake County Jail on Tuesday, December 10th, 2024.
The scenario sounds like something from a Jason Bourne movie, only less glamorous. Back in August, Borgwardt had a Kayak "accident" and vanished. His sudden disappearance sparked a search and rescue operation which lasted 54 days. However, the authorities were looking for something that didn't exist.
Borgwardt Faked The Kayak Accident
Ryan Borgwardt completely fabricated the accident. He dropped his belongings in the water, hopped on an inflatable raft, and rode a pushbike over 50 miles to escape the scene. He even cleared data from his laptop prior to his trip. He even conveniently left his passport at home so it wouldn't look like he was planning to travel.
Unfortunately for Borgwardt, you need to do far more than erase a few files to disappear. Authorities caught wind of the news that he had crossed the border and started a new life in Canada with a woman from Uzbekistan.
According to MailOnline, Authorities learned of Borgwardt's whereabouts as early as October 2024.
Sheriff Podall of the Green Lake County Sheriff's Office said Borgwardt reached out to authorities in November but from an undisclosed location. At the time, he had no intention of returning to Wisconsin.
Podall pleaded with Borgwardt to return during a press conference. "We understand things can happen." "But, there's a family who wants their daddy back," he said.
Authorities were able to get in touch with Borgwardt through his acquaintance. We're unsure of the events that led him to return to Wisconsin, although online records show he is back.
As you may expect, the family's devastation is two-fold. It's one thing to mourn the loss of a husband and father presumed dead. It's quite another to learn that he faked his own death to start a new life in another country!
MailOnline also reports that Emily, Bogwardt's wife, is being encouraged to meet with a support group dealing with the trauma of runaway husbands.
