Wisconsin Father Sentenced to 89 Days for Faking His Death to Start New Life

The Scheme to Disappear

• 👨 Ryan Borgwardt faked his own death by overturning his kayak and abandoning his belongings in Wisconsin's Green Lake on August 11th, 2024.
• ✈️ His elaborate plan involved using an e-bike to travel to Madison, then a bus to Detroit, crossing into Canada, and eventually flying to Paris and the country of Georgia to be with a woman he met online.
• 💰 Borgwardt had taken out a $375,000 life insurance policy, transferred funds overseas, and researched how to fake a drowning to make his disappearance more believable.

The Investigation and Discovery

• 🕵️ Law enforcement and the community searched for 58 days, believing Borgwardt had drowned, utilizing dive teams, cadaver dogs, and extensive resources.
• 💻 Investigators found crucial evidence on a laptop provided by his wife, including deleted browser history, photos of his passport, and communications indicating his plan to flee overseas.
• 📧 Contact was eventually made with a Russian-speaking woman Borgwardt was communicating with, leading to a "proof of life" video from Borgwardt himself.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

• ⚖️ Borgwardt pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor charge of obstructing an officer.
• 💰 Prosecutors sought accountability for the deception and the estimated $51,127.75 in costs incurred by law enforcement for the extensive search.
• 👨‍⚖️ The defense highlighted Borgwardt's lack of prior criminal history, his voluntary return from Europe, and his cooperation in resolving the case.

The Judge's Decision

• 🗓️ Judge Mark Slate sentenced Ryan Borgwardt to 89 days in county jail, mirroring the number of days he was missing and faked his death.
• 💡 The judge cited the extensive obstruction of law enforcement and the need for deterrence as key factors in the sentence.
• 💸 Borgwardt was also ordered to pay $30,000 towards the costs expended by the Green Lake County Sheriff's Office and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for the investigation.