By A Wisconsin man, Ryan Borgwardt, 45, who disappeared during a summer kayaking trip is believed to have orchestrated an elaborate scheme to fake his own death and escape to Europe, according to local authorities who uncovered evidence of careful planning and financial maneuvering.
“We believe that he is alive. We know that he’s not in our lake,” Matthew Vande Kolk, Chief Deputy Sheriff for Green Lake County, told the BBC about the disappearance of Borgwardt a married father of three.
Borgwardt was last seen August 12 at Green Lake during what appeared to be a solo fishing expedition. The night before, he texted his wife saying he was turning his kayak around and heading to shore. When he failed to return home, authorities launched a search operation that would eventually uncover his capsized kayak and life jacket on the lake, while his car, trailer, fishing rod and wallet remained at a nearby park.
After 54 days of extensive searching using divers, drones, sonar and cadaver dogs yielded no body, investigators broadened their scope and discovered a trail of suspicious activity. Border officials had logged Borgwardt’s name in Canada on August 13, just one day after he was reported missing.
Further investigation revealed Borgwardt had reported his passport lost or stolen and obtained a new one before his disappearance, while his original passport remained with his wife. A digital forensic analysis of his laptop exposed a series of calculated moves: he had taken out a $375,000 life insurance policy, transferred funds to a foreign bank account, photographed his new passport, and modified his email address. Investigators found he had replaced the laptop’s hard drive and cleared his browser history the day he vanished.
Evidence suggests Borgwardt may have fled to Eastern Europe, prompting authorities to evaluate potential criminal charges including obstruction and fraud.
Vande Kolk praised the cooperation of Borgwardt’s family, particularly his wife, who he described as “extremely strong” throughout the investigation. “She has done everything that we have asked of her in regards to helping us with information, and holding on to information,” he said. Authorities had kept their suspicions quiet for about a month while gathering evidence.
“Our hope is then, at some point we’ll be able to hold Ryan accountable for his actions and request restitution,” Vande Kolk added.
The investigation continues as authorities search for both Borgwardt and any potential accomplices who may have assisted in staging his death and facilitating his escape. The case has drawn parallels to other instances of staged deaths for insurance fraud, though the international scope of this investigation presents unique challenges for local law enforcement.
The elaborate nature of the scheme, including the careful staging of evidence at the lake and the coordination of international travel documents, suggests significant premeditation, according to investigators who continue to piece together the timeline of events leading to Borgwardt’s disappearance.
