Wisconsin authorities suspect that Ryan Borgwardt, a father of three who vanished on August 12, may have staged his disappearance and fled the country. Borgwardt’s family reported him missing when he didn’t return home, and authorities spent months searching for the 45-year-old after finding his capsized kayak in Green Lake, People magazine reported.
The day after his kayak was found, two fishermen discovered a fishing rod at the lake’s bottom, which Borgwardt’s wife identified as his, Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll shared during a November 8 press conference covered by WFRV Local 5. Despite extensive searches led by volunteers and Bruce’s Legacy, a group specializing in search and recovery, no further evidence turned up for months.
“Sheriff, I’ve done a lot of searches, and I can’t find him,” Keith Cormican from Bruce’s Legacy told Sheriff Podoll in early October, leading officials to investigate further. On October 7, they performed a forensic analysis of Borgwardt’s computer and found evidence suggesting he may be alive “somewhere in Europe.”
The digital investigation revealed that, prior to his disappearance, Borgwardt had replaced his laptop’s hard drive, cleared his browser history, photographed his passport, transferred money to a foreign bank, and changed his email. He also reportedly communicated with a woman from Uzbekistan and purchased a $300,000 life insurance policy in January, along with airline cards.
Given these findings, authorities now believe he staged his own disappearance. Podoll explained, “Due to these discoveries…we were sure that Ryan was not in our lake.” The investigation is ongoing to determine if a crime was committed or if Borgwardt had assistance.
Sheriff Podoll expressed frustration about the resources used in the search and acknowledged the pain felt by Borgwardt’s family, particularly his wife, who he praised for her strength. “Ryan, if you are viewing this, I plead that you contact us or contact your family,” he urged, emphasizing the longing of a family who simply wants their father back.
The investigation will continue and expand as authorities work to piece together the complex puzzle of Borgwardt’s disappearance.