A Wisconsin husband who faked his own death and eloped with his mistress is speaking to police “almost daily” but still refuses to reveal his location.
Ryan Borgwardt, 45, deliberately overturned his kayak on Green Lake on August 11, throwing his phone and belongings into the water before paddling an inflatable boat to safety and e-biking more than 50 miles to Madison overnight. Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.
His disappearance devastated his wife and three children and sparked a massive manhunt, for which police want to bill him for $40,000.
However, officers said they are focused on getting Borgwardt to turn himself in for the sake of his family.
“We speak to him almost daily and encourage him to come home and clean up the mess he has made,” Chief Deputy Matthew Vande Kolk told DailyMail.com.
‘We are not currently pursuing a ‘boots on the ground’ approach or anything like that. We still believe he will do the right thing and we have been in constant contact.”
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.
Vande Kolk confirmed the two were ‘connected online’ but said he could not comment further at this stage.
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.
Through her, 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 video, Borgwardt – who has had no contact with 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.”
Authorities do not know exactly where the married man is, but they suspect he is in Eastern Europe.
Vande Kolk said he has no idea when Borgwardt plans to return, but is encouraged by the communication that has been established.
“We are making continued progress and the fact that he has kept in touch is encouraging.”
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 Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office is now seeking $35,000 to $40,000 in restitution for the money used in the search. Authorities used divers, drones, sonar and cadaver K-9s and more to search for the missing father, according to ABC News.
Borgwardt also could be charged with obstruction, the sheriff said.
Podoll hopes the father will make the decision to return home.
“He needs to come home to his children,” he said at the news conference, saying officers are “trying to touch his heart.”
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.
Podoll hopes the father of three will make the decision to return home. “He needs to come home to his children,” he said at the news conference, saying officers are “trying to touch his heart.”
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 have been mourning 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.