Wisconsin kayaker who faked death says he is ‘safe’ but won’t reveal his location, won’t come home

(GREEN LAKE, Wis.) — Ryan Borgwardt, the husband and father of three who authorities said faked his own death at a Wisconsin lake and fled the country, is speaking to police but isn’t revealing where he is, the local sheriff said.

In recent weeks, as authorities worked to track Borgwardt down, they made contact with a woman who speaks Russian, Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll said at a news conference Thursday.

“On Nov. 11, we got in contact with Ryan through her. That was a big turning point,” he said.

When authorities reached Borgwardt, they asked him questions only he would know and asked him to film a video of himself, Podoll said.

In the selfie-style video, which was played at the news conference, Borgwardt appears to be in an apartment. He said the date was Nov. 11 and he was safe.

Authorities believe he in Eastern Europe, Podoll said, adding that he doesn’t appear to be in danger.

“We do not know where Ryan exactly is,” the sheriff said. “He has not yet decided to return home.”

“We’ve had nearly daily communications with Ryan,” the sheriff said.

Borgwardt has not spoken to his wife or children, Podoll said.

The mysterious case began on the night of Aug. 11, when Borgwardt last texted his wife. He told her he was turning his kayak around on Green Lake and was heading to shore soon, Podoll said.

The 45-year-old was reported missing the next day.

After Borgwardt’s overturned kayak and life jacket were discovered in the lake, responders believed the missing dad drowned, officials said.

Crews scoured the lake for weeks using divers, drones, sonar and cadaver K-9s, officials said.

The case took a turn in October when investigators discovered Borgwardt’s name had been checked by law enforcement in Canada on Aug. 13, the sheriff said.

Authorities also learned Borgwardt had been communicating with a woman from Uzbekistan, the sheriff said.

Other behavior included clearing his browsers the day he disappeared, inquiries about moving funds to foreign banks, getting a new life insurance policy, obtaining a new passport and replacing his laptop hard drive, the sheriff said.

Podoll said Borgwardt revealed to authorities how he faked his death at the lake and fled the country.

“He stashed an e-bike near the boat launch. He paddled his kayak in a child-sized floating boat out into the lake. He overturned the kayak and dumped his phone in the lake,” the sheriff said. “He paddled the inflatable boat to shore and got on his e-bike and road through the night to Madison, [Wisconsin]. In Madison, he boarded a bus and went to Detroit, and then the Canadian border. He continued on the bus to an airport and got on a plane.”

“We are continuing to verify this information,” the sheriff added.

One of the reasons Borgwardt picked Green Lake is because it’s one of the deepest lakes in the state, Podoll said.

Borgwardt told authorities he didn’t think responders would spend more than two weeks searching for him, the sheriff said.

“He feels bad about the amount of hours we’ve put in,” Podoll noted.

The family wants Borgwardt home, and Podoll said he wants Borgwardt back to “clean up the mess that he has created.”

The sheriff said authorities will keep “pulling at his heartstrings.”

“He needs to come home to his kids,” Podoll said.

The sheriff, appearing emotional, ended the news conference by saying, “Christmas is coming, and what better gift he could give his kids is to be there for Christmas with them?”

Borgwardt could potentially face an obstruction charge, the sheriff said.

The county is seeking around $35,000 to $40,000 for restitution, the sheriff said.

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