Wisconsin husband Ryan Borgwardt who faked his kayak death before fleeing overseas with lover is arrested
A Wisconsin husband who faked his own death before fleeing to Eastern Europe with his lover has been arrested, online records show.
Ryan Borgwardt, 45, was booked into the Green Lake County Jail Tuesday afternoon, according to the Victim Information and Notification Everyday system, but no charges were listed.
The Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office said in a social media post Tuesday that a news conference would be held Wednesday morning to update the Borgwardt case after he purposely flipped his kayak on Green Lake on Aug. 11.
He then threw his phone and belongings into the water before paddling an inflatable boat to safety and e-biking more than 50 miles to Madison overnight.
His disappearance devastated his wife and three children and led to a massive month-long manhunt for his body, for which police wanted to bill him for $40,000.
Police learned in October that Borgwardt had crossed the border into Canada a few days after his disappearance and had communicated with an Uzbek woman who spoke Russian.
Chief Deputy Matthew Vande Kolk confirmed last month that the two were “connected online” but said he could not comment further at this stage.
Sheriff Mark Podoll subsequently said that Borgwardt began communicating with authorities on Nov. 11 after disappearing for three months, but that he had not committed to returning to Wisconsin.
Ryan Borgwardt, 45, who faked his own death and eloped with his mistress, talks to police ‘almost daily’ but still refuses to reveal his location
Authorities learned in October that Borgwardt had crossed the border into Canada a few days after his disappearance and communicated with an Uzbek woman who spoke Russian, leaving behind his wife (pictured) and children.
Podoll said police were “pushing him to the limit” to get home and suggested Borgwardt could be charged with obstructing the investigation into his disappearance.
Through Borgwardt’s mistress, the Sheriff’s Office was able to contact the father of three and ask him to answer questions only he would know and film a video of himself, which he did.
In the November video, Borgwardt — who has not contacted his family since his disappearance — showed his apartment and told officers, “I’m safe, no problems.”
But the same cannot be said for his heartbroken family, who are also supported by the Sheriff’s Office.
“They’re doing well, that’s probably the best thing you can say,” Vande Kolk explains.
“I can’t compare their situation to anything I’ve ever experienced in law enforcement, I don’t have any references.”
Borgwardt told authorities last month that he faked his death because of “personal matters,” according to the Podoll.
He also told them he chose Green Lake for his master plan because it is the deepest in Wisconsin.
The Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office is now seeking $35,000 to $40,000 in restitution for the money used in the search and Borgwardt could be charged with obstruction
The sheriff said at the time that investigators were working to verify Borgwardt’s description of what happened and explained that Borgwardt told authorities he did not expect the search to last more than two weeks.
Authorities searched for the Wisconsin man for 54 days before announcing Nov. 8 that they did not believe he drowned in the lake but that he had faked his own death.
Investigators revealed that Borgwardt had spoken to a woman in Uzbekistan before getting a new passport and a $375,000 life insurance policy in January.
Borgwardt is said to have used the new passport in Canada a day after he was reported missing.
The plan was elaborately planned. Borgwardt left his original passport at home when he disappeared, and police said he tried to cover his tracks by removing his laptop’s hard drive and wiping his search history.
Before his disappearance, he changed all email addresses linked to his bank accounts and transferred money to a foreign bank account.
Borgwardt’s devastated wife, Emily, and their three children had mourned their loss for months, believing he was probably dead.
She is now being urged to join support groups for women with “runaway husbands” as her friends and community rally around her.
She and Borgwardt celebrated their 22nd wedding anniversary in July 2024.