Kayaker Who Faked His Own Death and Fled the Country Makes Shocking Return to the U.S.

Ryan Borgwardt, the man who faked his own death and fled the country, has voluntarily returned to the U.S. and is now in custody in Wisconsin, according to the Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff announced on Wednesday that Borgwardt contacted authorities to inform them of his return, and he landed in the U.S. on Tuesday, though the sheriff did not disclose his departure location.

Sheriff Mark Podoll explained that law enforcement is still piecing together Borgwardt’s whereabouts and who he was with during his time on the run, but emphasized that Borgwardt has “cooperated” with authorities since his return.

When asked what motivated Borgwardt to come back, Podoll answered simply, “His family, I guess.” The sheriff did not confirm whether Borgwardt had been in contact with his wife and children. Borgwardt, who is facing charges including obstruction, is now awaiting a court appearance, Podoll confirmed.

The case began on August 11, when Borgwardt texted his wife that he was turning his kayak around on Green Lake and would be heading to shore soon. However, Borgwardt, a father of three, never returned home, the New York Post reported.

Responders later found his overturned kayak and life jacket in the lake, leading them to believe he had drowned. Despite extensive searches using divers, drones, sonar, and cadaver K-9s, Borgwardt’s body was never found.

In October, investigators discovered Borgwardt’s name had been checked by law enforcement in Canada just two days after he went missing. Authorities also learned he had been communicating with a woman from Uzbekistan, raising further suspicion about his disappearance.

Additional troubling signs included Borgwardt clearing his browser history, inquiring about moving funds to foreign banks, obtaining a new passport, and securing a new life insurance policy.

Authorities confirmed Borgwardt was alive and out of the country, though his exact location was unknown. After reaching out to a woman who spoke Russian, they were able to contact Borgwardt in November. While he confirmed he was safe, he did not reveal his location.

Sheriff Podoll revealed that Borgwardt had faked his death by stashing an e-bike near the boat launch. He paddled a child-sized floating boat out into the lake, overturned the kayak, and discarded his phone.

Borgwardt then paddled to shore, rode the e-bike to Madison, Wisconsin, boarded a bus to Detroit, and made his way to the Canadian border before eventually boarding a plane to leave the country. Podoll noted that Green Lake, one of the deepest lakes in the state, was a strategic location for Borgwardt’s plan.