In an unexpected twist, a dad who faked his own death earlier this year has surfaced, but there’s a catch—he refuses to reveal where he is. Ryan Borgwardt, 45, disappeared in August while on a solo kayaking trip at Green Lake in Wisconsin. When his kayak and life jacket were found, authorities launched an extensive search that eventually led them to uncover a shocking truth: Borgwardt had faked his own death and fled the country.
A Disappearance That Turned Into a Mystery
Borgwardt’s disappearance sparked a major rescue operation involving divers, drones, and sonar. But soon after, investigators discovered that the day after his supposed disappearance, his name was checked by police in Canada. It became clear that Borgwardt had planned the entire ordeal, using digital evidence from his laptop that traced his attempts to mislead investigators. Authorities believe he was planning to escape to Europe.
After months of uncertainty, authorities managed to contact Borgwardt on November 11. He sent a video to prove he was alive, but in a surprising turn, he refused to say where he was. In the video, he appeared to be in an apartment, but details were sparse. While he assured investigators that he was safe, he made no effort to reconnect with his family, leaving them in the dark about his whereabouts.
Despite ongoing communication with authorities, Borgwardt has not returned to the U.S. and has yet to speak to his wife and children. Investigators speculate that his disappearance may be linked to a woman he had been in contact with in Uzbekistan.
While Borgwardt remains elusive, authorities are considering potential charges and seeking restitution for the costly search operation.
