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Why Kayaker Ryan Borgwardt Who Allegedly Faked His Own Death And Fled To Europe Returned To U.S.
Ryan Borgwardt is paddling into more potential legal troubles.
Four months after police say the dad of three faked his drowning during a kayaking trip in Wisconsin over the summer, authorities revealed why more insight into his decision to return to the United States.
"His family is here," Green Lake County Sheriff Mark A. Podoll said of Borgwardt—who is in police custody—during a Dec. 11 news conference. "He has cooperated with us. He came back on his own."
The official noted that they would not be shedding more light on why he returned to the United States.
"That's going to be up to him someday," he explained. "We're not going to release that. We brought a dad back on his own."
As for what Borgwardt may deal with legally? Podoll said he expects the 44-year-old to face a number of charges, including obstruction.
The latest update comes over a month after officials first shared that they believe he faked his death after taking out a life insurance policy and beginning a relationship with a woman from Uzbekistan.
At the time of his disappearance, Borgwardt had left his kayak capsized and his vehicle parked at the lake, Podoll shared at a press conference last month. After authorities spent weeks canvassing Green Lake, which included the help of cadaver dogs, they were unable to locate him.
Chief Deputy Matthew L. Vande Kolk shared during the news briefing in November that their department "learned that he reported his original passport lost or stolen, and obtained a new passport." So, while Borgwardt's wife was able to "easily" provide authorities with his original passport, Kolk noted, "We suspect he traveled on the 'new' passport."
Green Lake County Sheriff
The pieces of the Borgwardt's disappearance were coming together and proving a vastly different theory than a drowning. In fact, Podoll said that along with moving funds to a foreign bank account and changing his email address, Borgwardt also took out a $375,000 life insurance policy in January.
Ultimately, Borgwardt made his way back to the United States, with Podoll adding at the most recent news conference, "We can stand here feeling relieved."
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