Wisconsin kayaker alive, 'safe' after faking his death, police say
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Green Lake County sheriff played a video for the media that Ryan Borgwardt shared with investigators. (Image credit: Green Lake County Sheriff's office.)
Nov. 21 (UPI) -- A Wisconsin kayaker who allegedly faked his death over the summer is alive and "safe" but won't disclose his location, police said Thursday.
Police contacted the man and asked him to provide a video of himself. They say Ryan Borgwardt, 45, a husband and father of three, fled the country after the August 12 incident to meet with a woman.
Green Lake County police tracked Borgwardt down in recent weeks and made contact with a woman who speaks Russian, Sheriff Mark Podoll said at a news conference Thursday.
"On Nov. 11, we got in contact with Ryan through her. That was a big turning point," he said.
When they reached Borgwardt, they confirmed his identity by asking questions only he would know the answers to, Podoll explained. Borgwardt said the date was Nov. 11 and that he was safe in the video, which he appeared to have taken himself. It was not clear from the video where he was, but the background suggested he may have been in an apartment.
"Well, that's the great news," Podoll said. "Great news that we know he's alive.
"The bad news is we do not know exactly where Ryan is."
Podoll said while his exact location is unknown, officials believe he is in eastern Europe and does not appear to be in any danger or being held against his will.
"We do not know where Ryan exactly is. He has not yet decided to return home. We've had nearly daily communications with Ryan," Podoll said, and added that Borgwardt has not contacted his wife or children.
Borgwardt's last communication with his wife was on Aug. 11 during a kayak outing. He told her he was turning his kayak around on Green Lake and was heading to shore, Podoll said.
He was reported missing the next day after his overturned kayak and life jacket were found floating in the lake the next day. Responders reported Borgwardt had drowned, police said.
Officials got a lead in the case when they discovered that Canadian police had run his name on Aug. 13 which led to them learning that he had been communicating with a woman from Uzbekistan, they said.
They discovered that he had replaced his laptop hard drive after he made searches asking about moving funds to foreign banks, then got a new passport and life insurance policy.
Podoll said Borgwardt, once contacted, told authorities in detail about his actions.
"He stashed an e-bike near the boat launch. He paddled his kayak in a child-sized floating boat out into the lake. He overturned the kayak and dumped his phone in the lake," the sheriff said. "He paddled the inflatable boat to shore and got on his e-bike and rode through the night to Madison, [Wisconsin]. In Madison, he boarded a bus and went to Detroit, and then the Canadian border. He continued on the bus to an airport and got on a plane."
"We are continuing to verify this information," Podoll added.
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