Ryan Borgwardt, a 45-year-old Wisconsin man who had purportedly drowned, has been disclosed to have fabricated his own death and has now turned himself in after several months at large. According to NBC Chicago, Borgwardt, who was reported missing and presumed drowned, had last communicated with authorities on November 11, signaling a willingness to return stateside.
After a stint that authorities believe was spent in Eastern Europe, Borgwardt "came back on his own" due to familial reasons, Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll was quoted in an AP News article. Sheriff Podoll detailed to journalists how the act of deception began with Borgwardt traveling from his home to Green Lake, a site chosen for its depth, where he staged his kayak overturn and disappearance.
Following the elaborate ruse, records indicate Borgwardt used an electric bike and multiple buses to journey covertly to Canada before presumably flying to Europe. His unexpected return to the U.S. has led to his current detention at the county jail, and authorities are considering multiple charges, including obstruction. The subterfuge not only duped his family and authorities but also cost upwards of $35,000 in search efforts—efforts which Borgwardt admitted he had not foreseen to extend beyond a fortnight.
The extent of charges Borgwardt might face remains to be seen, with the Green Lake County Sheriff's Office only announcing their recommendation for obstruction so far. It appears from his narrative relayed to authorities, that Borgwardt had sought to extricate himself from "personal matters" by faking his death—a drastic measure that has since unwound, landing him back in the arms of law enforcement, likely to soon face the consequences of his attempts to elude not just his past life, but also the law.
