Ryan Borgwardt, a Wisconsin man who attempted to fake his own drowning to leave his family behind, has been in communication with the police from Eastern Europe, revealing details of his escape plan, but has not committed to returning home. Sheriff Mark Podoll of Green Lake County stated that Borgwardt has been in contact with authorities since November 11th. During a news conference, the sheriff showed a video sent by Borgwardt, where he appeared in an orange T-shirt, claimed to be safe and secure, and expressed uncertainty about his return.
In the video, Borgwardt confessed to overturning his kayak, ditching his phone in Green Lake, paddling to shore on an inflatable boat, riding an electric bike to Madison, taking a bus to Detroit, traveling to Canada, and boarding a plane from there. Despite the information provided by Borgwardt, police are still working to confirm the details of his escape. Sheriff Podoll mentioned that while they are relieved to know Borgwardt is alive, his current location remains unknown, and he has not expressed a desire to come back.
The possibility of charging Borgwardt with obstructing the investigation into his disappearance has been raised, but no charges have been filed yet. Sheriff Podoll urged Borgwardt to consider reuniting with his family for Christmas, emphasizing that it would be a meaningful gift for his children. However, he reiterated that the decision ultimately lies with Borgwardt.
Initially, Borgwardt’s disappearance was treated as a drowning incident after he went kayaking on Green Lake. Further investigation revealed that he may have orchestrated his disappearance to rendezvous with a woman from Uzbekistan. The sheriff refrained from commenting on the woman but mentioned that contact with Borgwardt was established through a Russian-speaking female.
Before the recent contact with police, Borgwardt had not been heard from for three months following a text message to his wife indicating he was heading to shore. His overturned kayak and fishing rod were discovered, leading to a search operation that lasted over 50 days. Authorities learned that Borgwardt had obtained a new passport before his disappearance and had reported his previous one as lost or stolen.
Analysis of Borgwardt’s laptop unveiled his intentions to flee to Europe, attempts to mislead investigators, inquiries about transferring money to foreign banks, contact with the woman from Uzbekistan, and the acquisition of a life insurance policy for his family. Despite efforts to reach out to all contacts on his laptop, only a Russian-speaking woman could connect them with Borgwardt. It remains unclear whether she is the woman from Uzbekistan.
While Borgwardt seems to have settled in an apartment wherever he is, questions remain about how he is financially supporting himself in Eastern Europe. Sheriff Podoll emphasized the ongoing efforts to persuade Borgwardt to return home voluntarily and face the consequences of his actions.
