A Wisconsin man, named Ryan Borgwardt, is presumed to have faked his own drowning in a plot that saw him abandon his family and attempt a new life in Eastern Europe. This remarkable tale starts on a breezy day at the start of August 2024 when Borgwardt launched a small kayak onto Green Lake. He texted his wife to say he was “headed back into shore,” but he never got there.
Later hours, however, his overturned kayak was seen in the water with his life jacket and fishing rod nearby. Local authorities launched a full-scale search of the lake, more than 1,500 acres large, diving deep into over-200-feet-deep waters but no trace of any sort of Borgwardt was found after exhaustive efforts.
Dive crews, including divers and sonar searchers from Bruce’s Legacy-a nonprofit dedicated to the recovery of drowning victims-had combed the lake for over 50 days. None found any sign of Borgwardt. The search had become extremely resource-and time-intensive, with many frustrated and baffled by the lack of results.
Things started to take a dramatic turn in October when, a day after Borgwardt was reported missing, Canadian police also checked his name and found that he had reported his passport lost or stolen in May, obtaining a new one. The family had little trouble finding the original passport-a sure sign he didn’t want people thinking he had been abroad.
Digital evidence on his laptop gave a clearer picture of what he had planned. The investigators found passport photos, inquiries regarding the transfer of funds to some foreign banks, and communications with some woman from Uzbekistan. In January, Borgwardt had also taken out a $375,000 life insurance policy, adding another layer to the mystery.
Authorities now believe that Borgwardt may be alive, hiding out in Eastern Europe. Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll says they are using federal and international agencies to verify his whereabouts and see if anyone aided him in his escape. “We believe Ryan is alive and may be hiding in Europe,” Podoll said. “We’re still gathering information to see what charges apply, if any.”
Preliminary investigations into this case uncovered a really distressing digital trail. Although the laptop in question had been wiped clean on the day Borgwardt disappeared, there were telling details that the hard drive itself did reveal about a well-thought-out scheme: messages that spoke of interactions with a woman from Uzbekistan, preparation for travels to Europe, and even financial maneuvers to move large sums of money. Curiously enough, it came to the fore that Borgwardt had taken out a life insurance policy worth $375,000 only some months ago, a fact which begged even more questions regarding his motives.
Payers usually do not reimburse purposeful acts or fraud. When the insurance company discovers the fraud that has been committed by Borgwardt they will undoubtedly deny the claim and may even sue him for fraud. This would serve to deter such fraudulent plans and set in concrete the fact that insurance is to be utilized when an accident or other unpredicted event has occurred and not to cover criminal actions.
Meanwhile, Borgwardt’s family has been alike scarred from events. For them, an initial belief of searching for a loved one taken by the waters has given way to the fallout which blows them over with every apparent betrayal. His wife, children, and other relatives have been put under unimaginable emotional duress.
Law enforcement authorities say they now intend to seek restitution to cover the cost of the search operation. Resources utilized by Bruce’s Legacy along with the other agencies could easily run into tens of thousands of dollars, not to mention the emotional toll on the volunteers and families concerned.
The case continues to unravel, and authorities call upon Borgwardt to come forward so that his family may have some closure. Be it an amazingly contrived plot to collect on a life insurance policy and be free of all responsibilities, his actions are not without a great size of emotional cost.
