Wisconsin Kayaker who Faked His Death is Alive, Authorities Trying to Convince Him to Come Home

GREEN LAKE, Wis. (CIVIC MEDIA) – Authorities announced the missing Wisconsin kayaker is alive somewhere in Eastern Europe after faking his own death. Now they’re trying to convince him to come home. 

Back in August, 45-year-old Ryan Borgwardt of Watertown staged a scene on Green Lake to make it look like he had drowned. Officials searched for six weeks, and didn’t find him. 

“He thought we wouldn’t search for more than two weeks,” said Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll. “He picked the wrong sheriff’s department.” 

Later, authorities learned his passport had been checked in Canada within two days of his disappearance. He had bought a new life insurance policy earlier in the year, and had a relationship with a woman in Uzbekistan. 

Now, the sheriff said authorities have spoken to Borgwardt “nearly daily”. They asked him to send a video of himself, to prove he’s alive and okay. They played that video during a press conference Thursday. They believe he’s somewhere in Eastern Europe, but they don’t know where. 

They wanted to know how he managed to stage the scene and escape. 

He told authorities that he researched the deepest lake in Wisconsin, which happens to be Green Lake. He hid an e-bike on the shore, then took a kid-sized inflatable boat into the middle of the lake to leave his kayak, and dropped his phone into the water. Then, he took that kiddie raft back to shore, hopped on the e-bike, rode to Madison, took a bus to Detroit, and then went over the Canadian border. 

The entire case is bizarre, and now the sheriff’s office is in a unique position: they’re focused on convincing Borgwardt to come home to his wife and children. Sheriff Podoll even got choked up during the press conference. 

“Christmas is coming,” Podoll said, his voice breaking. “What better gift he could give his kids than to be there for Christmas with them.” 

Borgwardt would likely face charges if he came home. Podoll said he could be charged with obstruction of justice, and could be ordered to pay back at least $40-50,000 spent searching for him.