Wisconsin kayaker sentenced for faking his own drowning
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A Wisconsin father, Ryan Borgwardt, tried to stage his death in a kayak accident and escaped to Eastern Europe, aiming to be with his mistress in Georgia. Recently, he received a jail sentence of just over 12 weeks. Borgwardt’s actions last summer led him to plead no contest to an obstruction charge.

Judge Mark Slate sentenced Borgwardt, 45, of Watertown, to 89 days behind bars -the same amount of time as he misled law enforcement for last year, according to ABC affiliate WISN12. 'The court finds the appropriate time for the defendant to spend in the county jail is the length of time he allowed his deception to continue,' Slate said. The judge also ordered him to pay $30,000 in costs to Green Lake County Sheriff's Office and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Judge Mark Slate sentenced the 45-year-old from Watertown to 89 days in jail—matching the duration he deceived law enforcement, according to ABC affiliate WISN12. Additionally, Borgwardt must pay $30,000 to the Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for the costs incurred during the investigation.
'Certainly, any criminal charge, conviction and sentence that this court today hands down will not be able to come close to undoing the incredible damage this defendant, by his premeditated, selfish actions, has done, not only to his family, but our community,' Green Lake County District Attorney Gerise LaSpisa said. Borgwardt was charged with obstruction related to the $30,000 manhunt which was launched following his disappearance on August 11, 2024.

District Attorney Gerise LaSpisa mentioned the irreparable harm Borgwardt’s calculated actions caused to his family and community. In August 2024, his disappearance sparked a $30,000 manhunt. Borgwardt was charged with obstruction in connection to this extensive search.

Police learned in October the father-of-three had crossed the border into Canada a few days after his disappearance and had been communicating with a Uzbek woman who spoke Russian. 'He regularly communicated with the woman, professing his love and desire to create a new life with her,' LaSpisa said, per WISN12. 'He reversed his vasectomy, he applied for a replacement passport, claiming that his original one, which his wife found in the family safe in its normal place, was lost or stolen.'

In October, authorities discovered that Borgwardt had crossed into Canada shortly after vanishing. He had been in contact with an Uzbek woman, expressing his wish to begin a new life with her. LaSpisa reported that Borgwardt reversed his vasectomy and requested a replacement passport, claiming the original one—found by his wife at home—was lost or stolen.

Police did not release details of where he was staying or who he was with while he was missing. They confirmed that Borgwardt flew back into an international airport in the US of his own volition. Authorities spent 54 days looking for the Wisconsin man before announcing on November 8 that they didn't believe he had drowned in the lake, but rather had faked his own death. They revealed that he deliberately flipped his kayak and dumped his phone and belongings in the water before paddling to safety on an inflatable boat and e-biking more than 50 miles to Madison overnight.

During the search, details about Borgwardt’s whereabouts or company were not disclosed. However, he voluntarily returned to the US via an international airport. Authorities realized after 54 days that Borgwardt had likely not drowned but staged his demise, as he capsized his kayak and abandoned his belongings before using an inflatable craft and e-bike to reach Madison.
Borgwardt had been talking to the woman in Uzbekistan before he obtained a new passport and a $375,000 life insurance policy in January. Police managed to establish contact and in November, Borgwardt - who had not contacted his family since his disappearance - sent a video in which he showed off his apartment, telling officers: 'I am safe, secure, no problems.' But the same could not be said for his heartbroken family, who were being supported by the Sheriff's Office. 'They are doing okay, that's probably the best thing you could say,' Vande Kolk explained in November. 'I can't compare their situation to anything I have ever experienced in law enforcement before, I don't have any reference.'

Before securing a new passport, Borgwardt had been conversing with a woman in Uzbekistan. He also obtained a $375,000 life insurance policy. Police finally made contact with him in November, leading to a video where he showcased his apartment and assured officers he was safe. However, his family, supported by the Sheriff’s Office, remained devastated by the ordeal. ‘They are doing okay,’ Vande Kolk stated in November, noting the unprecedented nature of the situation.

Borgwardt told authorities that he faked his death because of 'personal matters,' Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll said. He also told them that he picked Green Lake for his master plan because it's the deepest in Wisconsin. The scheme was elaborately planned. Borgwardt left his original passport at home when he vanished, and police said he tried to cover his tracks by removing his laptop hard drive and wiping his search history clean. Before his disappearance, he also changed all the email addresses linked to his bank accounts and moved money to a foreign bank account. Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll said he 'could not be more proud' of his officers in helping bring Borgwardt to justice.

Borgwardt told authorities that he faked his death because of ‘personal matters,’ Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll said. He also told them that he picked Green Lake for his master plan because it’s the deepest in Wisconsin. The scheme was elaborately planned. Borgwardt left his original passport at home when he vanished, and police said he tried to cover his tracks by removing his laptop hard drive and wiping his search history clean. Before his disappearance, he also changed all the email addresses linked to his bank accounts and moved money to a foreign bank account. Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll said he ‘could not be more proud’ of his officers in helping bring Borgwardt to justice.

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