This Wisconsin father left behind heartache, a $35K search bill, and a trail of lies spanning two countries because feigning his own death wasn’t enough.#Crime #GreenLakeWI #News #Wisconsin
In August, a Wisconsin man named Ryan Borgwardt staged a kayaking accident to pretend to be dead, leaving behind a distraught wife, three kids, and a perplexed town. Since then, authorities have found him in Eastern Europe, where he has been in daily contact but has refused to go back to his native country. In addition to depleting law enforcement resources, Borgwardt’s complex plan caused his loved ones severe distress.Check out our previous coverage of this story here.
A Carefully Planned Vanishing Act
At first, Borgwardt’s disappearance seemed to be an unfortunate accident. He set out on Green Lake, Wisconsin s deepest lake, overturned his kayak, and discarded his phone in the water to give the impression of drowning. He was discovered floating in waters more than 200 feet deep with his life jacket still fastened to the kayak. Search crews searched the water for weeks, thinking he had drowned.
However, Borgwardt was on the run and not in the water. Borgwardt rode a bicycle 70 miles to Madison in the dark after paddling to shore in an inflatable boat, according to Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll. He then rode busses to Detroit and Canada before catching a flight to Europe. Months before he vanished, he carefully cleaned his laptop of all traces of his whereabouts and obtained a new passport as part of his planned escape.
Family Agony and Community Betrayal
Borgwardt abandoned his family to deal with heartache and bewilderment as he set off on his own. His children and wife thought they had lost him forever.
Law enforcement and the local community spent more than $35,000 on a fruitless search for him in the interim. Divers searched the lake’s depths for evidence of his body on several occasions. Sheriff Podoll noted that Borgwardt admitted he hadn t anticipated such a prolonged search, thinking the effort would last only two weeks.
The emotional and financial toll of Borgwardt s actions extended far beyond his family. Friends, neighbors, and volunteers poured their energy into helping a man who had orchestrated his own disappearance.
A Questionable Motive and Uncertain Future
Borgwardt s motive for the elaborate scheme remains unclear. Sheriff Podoll said Borgwardt cited personal matters but declined to elaborate. Investigators discovered Borgwardt s digital trail, which included communication with a Russian-speaking woman linked to Uzbekistan.
They speculated that he intended to meet her overseas. However, the sheriff did not confirm the nature of their relationship or how Borgwardt is supporting himself abroad, only describing him as a smart guy.
Despite daily communication with authorities since Nov. 11, Borgwardt has shown no inclination to return. In a video shared by the sheriff s office, Borgwardt, dressed in an orange T-shirt, assured viewers, I m safe and secure, no problem.
Sheriff Podoll and his team have appealed to Borgwardt s emotions, urging him to consider the impact on his family. Christmas is coming, Podoll said. And what better gift could your kids get than to be there for Christmas?
Whether Borgwardt returns remains to be seen, but his actions have already left lasting scars. His decision to abandon his family rather than face his problems head-on speaks volumes.
Borgwardt s selfishness not only broke the trust of those closest to him but also drained resources from a community that rallied to help someone they thought was in danger. His story may be a cautionary tale of irresponsibility and the far-reaching consequences of deceit.
RELATED TOPICS:Crime|Wisconsin
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