A Wisconsin father who staged his own disappearance during a kayaking trip in an attempt to start a new life abroad has been sentenced for his elaborate scheme.
Ryan Borgwardt, 45, appeared in court Tuesday where he received 89 days in Green Lake County Jail. The sentence was deliberately chosen to reflect the 89 days between his reported disappearance and the time he finally contacted the Sheriff’s Office.
Borgwardt pleaded no contest and was found guilty of misdemeanor obstruction of an officer, according to WMTV 15.
“I deeply regret the actions that I did that night and all the pain I caused my family and my friends,” Borgwardt told the court.
Judge Mark Slate also ordered him to pay $30,000 to the Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to cover the costs of the manhunt launched after his supposed drowning on August 11, 2024.
Attorney Gerise LaSpisa described Borgwardt’s actions as “selfish and self-centered,” noting that he had convinced himself Green Lake’s depth would ensure no body would be found. “His entire plan to fake his death, to devastate his family in order to serve his own selfish desire, hinged on him dying in the lake and selling his death to the world. His words,” she said.
Authorities revealed that Borgwardt had been communicating with a Russian-speaking Uzbek woman even before his disappearance. Investigators later discovered he had secured a new passport, taken out a $375,000 life insurance policy, and transferred money to a foreign bank account.
Police believe Borgwardt intentionally flipped his kayak, tossed his phone and belongings into the lake, then escaped to shore using an inflatable boat. He reportedly rode an e-bike more than 50 miles overnight to Madison before slipping across the border into Canada.
By October, after nearly two months of searching, investigators realized the father of three was alive. When contacted in November, Borgwardt sent a video message saying, “I am safe, secure, no problems.”
During the ordeal, his family had no communication with him. Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll later said Borgwardt admitted he staged the hoax due to “personal matters” and had deliberately chosen the state’s deepest lake.
Police added that he left his original passport at home, removed his laptop hard drive, destroyed his search history, and altered financial account details in an effort to cover his tracks.
Sheriff Podoll praised law enforcement’s persistence, saying he “could not be more proud” after Borgwardt was finally held accountable.
