November 22nd 2024.
A man from the United States, Ryan Borgwardt, made headlines this summer when he faked his own drowning in order to leave his wife and children behind. The authorities have been in communication with him since November 11th, but he has not made a decision about returning home. Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll spoke at a news conference and shared a video that Borgwardt had sent to the sheriff's office that day. In the video, Borgwardt appears somber and tells the authorities that he is safe and secure, but does not reveal his exact location.
According to Sheriff Podoll, Borgwardt fled due to personal issues but did not provide further details. He believed that this was the best way to handle the situation. Borgwardt told the authorities that he traveled 80km from his home in Watertown to Green Lake, where he overturned his kayak and then paddled to shore in an inflatable boat. He then rode an electric bike 110km through the night to Madison, and from there took a bus to Detroit, then another bus to Canada before boarding a plane.
The sheriff's office is still verifying Borgwardt's story, and he could potentially face charges for obstructing the investigation into his disappearance. The search for his body lasted over a month and cost $35,000, but Borgwardt had told authorities that he did not expect it to last more than two weeks. The sheriff's office is urging Borgwardt to return home, but ultimately it will be his decision.
Sheriff Podoll shared that Borgwardt's biggest concern about returning home is how the community will react. He had a plan in mind, but it did not go as expected. The sheriff's office is trying to provide him with a different plan to return home, especially with Christmas approaching. Borgwardt's disappearance was first thought to be a possible drowning, but further investigation revealed that he may have faked his death to meet up with a woman he had been communicating with in Uzbekistan.
Prior to speaking with authorities last week, Borgwardt had not been heard from since the night of August 11th when he texted his wife saying he was headed to shore after kayaking. His vehicle and trailer were found near the lake, and his overturned kayak with a life jacket attached was found in an area with deep waters. The search for his body lasted over 50 days, with divers exploring the lake multiple times. It was later discovered that Borgwardt had obtained a new passport three months prior to his disappearance and had reported his old one as lost or stolen.
The authorities found evidence on Borgwardt's laptop that showed he had planned to go to Europe and had tried to mislead investigators. They also found communication with a woman from Uzbekistan and discovered he had taken out a life insurance policy for his family in January. The authorities were able to track down the woman and she connected them with Borgwardt. It is unclear if she is the woman he planned to meet in Uzbekistan, but Sheriff Podoll believes Borgwardt may have a job to support himself while he is away. The investigation is still ongoing.
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