Dec 11, 2024
GREEN LAKE, Wis. (WFRV) – Ryan Borgwardt, the Wisconsin man who allegedly faked his death and fled the country, has been charged with obstruction. Borgwardt, 45, returned to Green Lake, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, nearly four months after he was reported missing when he failed to return home from kayaking on Big Green Lake. After weeks of searching for him, the Green Lake County Sheriff's Office determined he had staged his death and left his wife and three children for Eastern Europe. On Tuesday, Borgwardt was found to have been booked into the Green Lake County Jail in Green Lake, according to the online custody status database VINELink. Sheriff Mark Podoll said Wednesday morning during a press conference that Borgwardt had flown back to U.S. soil on his own, arriving on Tuesday. He was then booked into the county jail and multiple charges had been referred to the district attorney's office. Borgwardt has since been charged with obstruction, a misdemeanor, in connection to the extensive search that was launched for him. A judge entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf and set bond at $500, though Borgwardt only has to pay if he violates the conditions of his release from jail. The 45-year-old said he would represent himself, but a court-appointed lawyer is also possible. Do you need to let your car warm up in winter? It depends what you drive After Borgwardt was reported missing on Aug. 12, deputies found an unoccupied kayak with a life jacket attached to it. His vehicle was also found near Big Green Lake. Search efforts to find Borgwart were conducted for over 54 days before authorities announced in early November that they believed Borgwardt planned his disappearance and tried to conceal his efforts to mislead investigations. Authorities said he also moved funds into a foreign bank and changed his email address while communicating with a woman from Uzbekistan. In addition, Borgwardt reportedly took out a $375,000 life insurance policy (allegedly to support his family in Wisconsin) and purchased airline cards. Deputies were ultimately able to make contact with Borgwardt on Nov. 11 during their investigations into his disappearance. Borgwardt confirmed he had attempted to fake his own death and explained he did it because of "personal matters." He told them that in mid-August he traveled about 50 miles from his home in Watertown to Green Lake, where he overturned his kayak, dumped his phone, and then paddled an inflatable boat to shore. He said he picked that lake because it’s the deepest in Wisconsin. After leaving the lake, he rode an electric bike about 70 miles through the night to Madison. From there, he said he took a bus to Detroit, then boarded a bus to Canada and got on a plane. Borgwardt also provided a video to officials confirming he was alive and safe, and residing in an apartment, which authorities believed to be somewhere in Eastern Europe. Authorities have since learned he was in the country of Georgia. “He staged his death, and unfortunately, one of the things he did say is that he didn’t expect us to go more than two weeks searching for him. I hate to tell him that he picked the wrong sheriff and the wrong department," said Green Lake Sheriff Podoll at a November news conference. Ryan Borgwardt is seen in a booking photo released by the Green Lake County Sheriff's Office. (Green Lake County Sheriff's Office) He confirmed that Borgwardt notified the department of his return, adding that they had been in contact with him. "We brought a dad back, on his own accord," Podoll added after thanking the community, federal authorities, and the media for helping them track down Borgwardt. Sheriff Podoll said it will be up to the court to decide whether Borgwardt would owe restitution for the search efforts expended by the sheriff's office. No one else is expected to face charges in the case. Borgwardt was not extradited and came back on his own, according to Podoll. When asked what compelled him to return, the sheriff suggested it was his family, but he could not comment on whether Borgwardt had been in contact with his wife and three children. The Associated Press contributed to this report. ...read more read less
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