Ryan Borgwardt, a Wisconsin man, made a shocking decision this summer. Faking his own drowning, he abandoned his wife and three children. Since November 11, he has been in communication with authorities from Eastern Europe, even revealing the details of his actions. But he has not yet committed to returning home.
His Current Situation and Concerns
Borgwardt, wearing an orange T-shirt and looking serious in a video sent to the sheriff's office, said he was safe and secure. He explained that he fled due to "personal matters" that he did not elaborate on. He traveled about 50 miles from his Watertown home to Green Lake, where he overturned his kayak, dumped his phone, and paddled to shore. He chose Green Lake because it is the deepest in Wisconsin at 237 feet. After leaving the lake, he rode an electric bike through the night to Madison, then took a bus to Detroit and a plane to Canada.Police are still verifying his account of what happened. The sheriff suggested he could be charged with obstructing the investigation, but no charges have been filed yet. Borgwardt's biggest concern about returning is how the community will react. The sheriff is trying to persuade him to come back, emphasizing the importance of being with his family during Christmas.The Investigation and Clues
Borgwardt's disappearance was initially investigated as a possible drowning after he went kayaking on Green Lake. But subsequent clues led investigators to suspect that he faked his death to meet a woman in Uzbekistan. The sheriff declined to comment on the woman, but said police contacted Borgwardt through a Russian-speaking woman.Before communicating with Borgwardt last week, he had not been heard from since August 11 when he texted his wife. Deputies located his vehicle and trailer near the lake, along with his overturned kayak with a life jacket. The search for his body lasted more than 50 days with divers exploring the lake. In early October, Canadian law enforcement ran Borgwardt's name through their databases, and further investigation revealed he had obtained a new passport in May.The analysis of his laptop showed a digital trail indicating his plans to go to Europe and his attempts to mislead investigators. The hard drive was replaced and browsers cleared on the day he disappeared. Investigators found passport photos, inquiries about moving money to foreign banks, and communication with a woman from Uzbekistan. They also discovered he took out a $375,000 life insurance policy for his family.Authorities tried various phone numbers and email addresses on the laptop and eventually reached a Russian-speaking woman who connected them with Borgwardt. It is unclear if she is the woman in Uzbekistan. The sheriff speculates that Borgwardt has a job as he is a smart guy, but he is not sure how he is supporting himself.