Wisconsin Father of Three Sentenced After Faking Death to Be With Uzbek Girlfriend
GREEN LAKE, Wis. — A Wisconsin father of three who staged his disappearance during a kayaking trip has been sentenced after investigators uncovered that he faked his death to be with a girlfriend in Uzbekistan.
Disappearance on Green Lake
On Aug. 12, 2024, Ryan Borgwardt’s wife contacted police after he failed to return from a late-night kayaking outing on Green Lake. Deputies soon found his vehicle and trailer parked at Dodge Memorial Park.
Hours later, search teams discovered his capsized kayak floating in the lake, with a life jacket still attached. Believing Borgwardt drowned, crews deployed boats, drones, cadaver dogs, and even brought in Bruce’s Legacy, a nonprofit specializing in underwater recovery.
For nearly a day, authorities scoured the lake’s deepest waters, convinced they were conducting a body recovery mission.
Investigation Exposes Elaborate Plan
The search turned after investigators learned that Canadian authorities had run Borgwardt’s name just one day after his alleged disappearance.
Despite his passport being found at his home, officials discovered Borgwardt had obtained a replacement passport three months earlier, claiming the original was lost.
Digital forensics from his laptop revealed he had replaced the hard drive, deleted his browsing history, transferred money to a foreign bank, and was actively communicating with a woman from Uzbekistan.
He had also purchased airline cards and taken out a $375,000 life insurance policy just months before vanishing.
Sheriff Mark Podoll concluded bluntly: “He is not in our lake.”
Return and Sentencing
After months abroad, Borgwardt returned to the U.S., where he was arrested and charged. His sentencing this week closes a bizarre case that drew national attention.
Details of his punishment have not been publicly disclosed, but prosecutors say it reflects both the deception inflicted on his family and the wasted search-and-rescue resources.
The case of Ryan Borgwardt stands as a stark reminder of how far some will go to escape their lives, even at the cost of family and community trust. For more Wisconsin crime and court updates, follow ChicagoMusicGuide.com.