Man Fakes His Own Death to Escape Life: The Bizarre Case of Ryan Borgwardt

Ryan Borgwardt sent a text to his wife on August 11, stating he would return to shore from Green Lake in his kayak. After that, he disappeared, and his family reported him missing the next day. His kayak and life jacket were found, but no body was located despite extensive searches in the lake.

In October, law enforcement discovered that Mr. Borgwardt’s name had been checked in Canada on August 13. Investigators found he had communicated with a woman from Uzbekistan, deleted his internet history, moved money to foreign accounts, and obtained a new passport. He also took out a $375,000 life insurance policy in January.

Mr. Borgwardt later admitted to faking his death. He paddled his kayak in the lake, then reversed course and overturned the kayak. After that, he used an e-bike to travel to the Canadian border, taking buses along the way, before boarding a flight from Canada.

Authorities reported that they maintain regular communication with Mr. Borgwardt. He has not contacted his wife or children and did not expect responders to search for him for more than two weeks. Officials stated that Mr. Borgwardt feels guilty about the resources used in the search. They hope he will return to Wisconsin to address the situation he has created and reunite with his family, especially for Christmas.

Authorities are considering criminal charges against Mr. Borgwardt.