A married father from Wisconsin has been sentenced to just over 12 weeks in jail after attempting an elaborate stunt to fake his own death in a kayak accident.
Ryan Borgwardt, 45, from Watertown, reportedly carried out the scheme last summer to flee the country and be with his mistress in Georgia.
Short Jail Term Reflects the Length of the Deception
On Tuesday, Borgwardt pleaded no contest to obstructing an officer, and Judge Mark Slate handed down an 89-day sentence — coincidentally the same amount of time that law enforcement spent tracking his disappearance.
“The court finds the appropriate time for the defendant to spend in the county jail is the length of time he allowed his deception to continue,” Slate said.
Borgwardt was also ordered to pay $30,000 in costs to the Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Massive Manhunt Reveals Elaborate Plan
Authorities launched a $30,000 manhunt after Borgwardt disappeared on August 11, 2024.
Police later discovered that he crossed into Canada and was communicating with a woman from Uzbekistan.
“He regularly communicated with the woman, professing his love and desire to create a new life with her,” District Attorney Gerise LaSpisa said.
Borgwardt reportedly reversed his vasectomy, applied for a replacement passport, and even purchased a $375,000 life insurance policy while on the run.
He carefully left his original passport at home, wiped his search history, removed his laptop hard drive, and moved money into a foreign bank account to cover his tracks.
The Faked Death: Kayak Flip and Overnight Escape
The deception was dramatic. Borgwardt flipped his kayak, tossed his phone and belongings into the water, then escaped on an inflatable boat.
He biked over 50 miles to Madison overnight, effectively faking his death in Green Lake, the deepest lake in Wisconsin, which he later admitted was chosen deliberately for the plan.
Authorities confirmed that he eventually returned to the U.S. voluntarily, after sending a video from his apartment to show he was safe and secure — but his family remained devastated.
The Toll on Family and Community
“The incredible damage this defendant, by his premeditated, selfish actions, has done, not only to his family but our community, cannot be undone,” LaSpisa said.
Borgwardt’s family had been supported by the Sheriff’s Office while he was missing, struggling with the emotional aftermath of his disappearance.
Sheriff Mark Podoll praised the officers who brought Borgwardt to justice, saying he “could not be more proud” of their work in solving such an unusual and complicated case.
Confession and Reflection
Borgwardt admitted to authorities that he faked his death due to “personal matters.”
He confessed that his plan was carefully orchestrated, from the kayak flip to his communication with the woman abroad.
Despite the short jail term, his story serves as a cautionary tale about the far-reaching consequences of deceit, not just on law enforcement but on loved ones left behind.
