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By Amir Daftari
News Reporter
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A Wisconsin man who faked his own drowning, abandoning his wife and three children, before fleeing to Eastern Europe, has been taken into police custody, according to online jail records.
Ryan Borgwardt, 45, was booked into the Green Lake County Jail on Tuesday afternoon, though no charges have been listed yet.
The Victim Information and Notification Everyday system, which tracks custody status for crime victims, confirmed Borgwardt's booking.
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Meanwhile, officials from the Green Lake County Sheriff's Office declined to provide additional details, promising updates during a news conference scheduled for Wednesday morning.
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Why Did Borgwardt Fake His Death?
Borgwardt disappeared in mid-August after faking a kayaking accident on Green Lake, Wisconsin's deepest lake.
According to Sheriff Mark Podoll, Borgwardt confessed to orchestrating the disappearance due to "personal matters."
Borgwardt described his actions to investigators, explaining that he had overturned his kayak, dumped his phone, and paddled to shore in an inflatable boat.
From there, he rode an electric bike through the night to Madison, Wisconsin, approximately 70 miles away. He then took a series of buses, eventually traveling through Canada and boarding a plane to Eastern Europe.
Authorities confirmed last month that Borgwardt had been communicating with them since Nov. 11 but had hesitated to return to Wisconsin.
Prior to his disappearance, investigators learned Borgwardt had been communicating with a woman from Uzbekistan.
They also discovered Borgwardt had moved money into foreign banks. In January, Borgwardt took out a $375,000 life insurance policy and purchased an airline gift card.
Sheriff Podoll said law enforcement tried to appeal to his emotions, "pulling at his heartstrings," to encourage him to come home.
What Were the Costs of the Search?
Borgwardt's staged disappearance triggered a large-scale search effort that spanned over a month and cost more than $35,000.
Divers and other rescue personnel scoured Green Lake for weeks in a bid to recover his body. Borgwardt reportedly told investigators that he did not expect the search to last beyond two weeks.
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Sheriff Podoll suggested that Borgwardt might face charges for obstructing the investigation, though no official charges have been announced.
Authorities are continuing to verify his account of the events surrounding his disappearance.
Next Steps in the Case
As of now, the circumstances of Borgwardt's return to custody remain unclear. The Green Lake County Sheriff's Office has withheld further comment ahead of Wednesday's news conference.
The case has raised questions about the motivations and consequences of faking one's death, as well as the financial and emotional toll such incidents can place on law enforcement and loved ones.
The upcoming news conference may shed more light on Borgwardt's actions and potential legal repercussions.
This article includes additional reporting from The Associated Press
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