Ryan Borgwardt’s Shocking Journey: From Kayak Mystery to International Flight
The kayaker, who staged his own disappearance and escaped to Asia, made his first court appearance on Wednesday in Green Lake County, Wisconsin, raising eyebrows and questions about his motives and actions.
Ryan Borgwardt, a 45-year-old father of three, voluntarily returned to the United States on Tuesday and was promptly booked into the Green Lake County Jail. The following day, a judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf for the charge of obstructing an officer, which raises serious implications for his future.
Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office
Wisconsin Father and Kayaker Who Faked His Own Death and Fled the Country Now Faces Legal Consequences
View Story
The obstruction charge stemmed from “knowingly placing physical evidence with the intent to mislead officers in the performance of their duties,” according to court filings that have sparked public interest and concern.
The suspect was released from jail after posting a $500 signature bond that afternoon. “We brought a dad back on his own accord,” Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll mentioned in a press conference yesterday, emphasizing the unusual nature of the case.
He added that Borgwardt had been cooperative with police, and he believed the father of three felt compelled to return home due to his family, as reported by Fox11, shedding light on the emotional aspects of the case.
Unveiling the Results of the Police Investigation
According to the criminal complaint shared by the news outlet, Borgwardt confessed to police about his elaborate plan to abandon his family, detailing the final day when he executed this shocking act of deceit.
The Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office’s probable cause statement provides insight into both their initial investigation and the missing details that Borgwardt filled in regarding what transpired the night of August 11 after he ventured onto Green Lake shortly after 10:30 p.m. on a kayak.
The following day, investigators recovered the kayak with the life jacket still in place, according to the affidavit. Police reported that while on the lake, Borgwardt “threw his mobile phone into the lake,” and he “had a fishing pole and tackle box that contained his identifying documents with him and left that in the lake as well,” creating a complex web of deception.
The fishing pole was recovered from the lake, while the tackle box, “still containing his identifiers, was found washed up on shore,” adding to the bewildering nature of his disappearance.
It was later revealed that Borgwardt had brought an inflatable raft, which he used to return to shore, according to the probable cause statement. He then utilized an e-bike that he had previously “stashed on shore,” rode it to a Greyhound bus stop, and took that bus to Toronto Airport in Canada, demonstrating a calculated escape plan.
From there, police reported that Borgwardt made his way to “Eastern Europe/Western Asia where he took up residency,” indicating a significant and lengthy evasion from authorities.

Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office
Wisconsin Father and Kayaker Reveals His Elaborate Death Hoax, Shares Proof of Life Video with Police
View Story
Borgwardt Unfolds His Death Hoax Scheme
After contacting police, Borgwardt recounted his elaborate escape plan, explaining that he had been monitoring weather reports to determine the best time to execute his plan, as he “knew he had a long bike trip and wanted to have good weather for this,” which reveals the meticulous planning involved.
He shared that on the day he faked his death, he “woke up in the morning and went to church with his family.” After the church service, he “went to his shop to prepare.” He informed police that at some point during that day he did return home to gather a few more belongings, indicating his careful orchestration of events.
He had purchased the e-bike used for his escape a few weeks prior and loaded it up that day, according to the probable cause affidavit. He told police he backed his trailer all the way to the building to block any cameras from potentially capturing him loading the e-bike into it, showcasing his efforts to avoid detection.
During his journey towards Canada, Borgwardt described traveling primarily on “back county roads.” According to the affidavit, he exhausted one battery during the trip and had to swap them out. He also mentioned to police that “he got very cold” during the ride, underlining the challenges he faced.
When asked why he attempted to purchase a life preserver at Walmart, he explained that he “did not want to die in the lake, and he couldn’t use the life preserver he brought with him because that one needed to stay with the kayak to make it more plausible that he’d drowned,” illustrating his desperate attempts to maintain the facade.

LAPD/Facebook
Missing Woman Hannah Kobayashi Contacts Family, Police Reveal Next Steps
View Story
He then stated he made his way to a friend’s house he knew was not home “to load up [stove] pellets,” according to the statement. However, he acknowledged that he “was shocked when [his friend] ended up showing up sooner than he thought.” He told police he quickly closed the trailer to hide the e-bike before casually conversing with his friend for a while, showcasing the precarious nature of his plan.
In his statement to police, Borgwardt mentioned he got spooked upon seeing a squad car as he approached Green Lake at approximately 10 p.m., but rationalized that it might have been finishing a check of the county park, leading him to feel confident he’d be in the clear from that point.
While conversing with police, Borgwardt reiterated his concern that he “needed to come up with a believable story about how he got out into the middle of the lake” and “make this plausible so that everyone, including law enforcement, would assume he drowned in the lake,” revealing the depth of his deception.
He detailed reaching what he thought was the deepest part of the lake, then “tossed his phone into the lake,” inflated his raft, and flipped the kayak over, demonstrating the lengths he went to orchestrate his disappearance.
Borgwardt stated that he wound up in hip-deep muck when attempting to leave the lake near the spot where he had hidden the e-bike and ended up “leaving some muddy footprints.” He mentioned he washed his pants and shoes off in the water and “tried to clean the footprints,” but only managed to clean “about two” of them off the roadway, adding another layer of complexity to his escape plan.

WBRC 6
Carlee Russell Speaks Out One Year After Kidnapping Hoax: ‘The Work Is Not Finished Yet’
View Story
Borgwardt’s Intricate Escape Route to Asia
On his journey towards Canada, Borgwardt detailed traveling primarily on “back county roads.” According to the affidavit, he exhausted one battery during the trip and had to swap them out. He also mentioned to police that “he got very cold” during the ride, highlighting the physical challenges he encountered.
He informed police that he was particularly aware of the time around 5 a.m., as it’s “usually when [his wife] would wake up.” It was also at this point that he admitted “he was anxious because now things were in motion and there was no going back,” underlining the psychological pressure he faced.
Borgwardt abandoned his e-bike at approximately 9:15 a.m. in a park near a Greyhound Bus Station, according to his statement to police. He then rode the bus through Milwaukee, Chicago, and Detroit, making his way to the border crossing to reach Toronto Airport, which illustrates the thoroughness of his escape plan.
At the border, Borgwardt claims he presented his passport to customs and border patrol officers, explaining that he did not have a driver’s license. He thought this would suffice, but it turned out to be insufficient, raising questions about his understanding of border regulations.
He then stated that “Canadian Border Patrol separated him from the rest of the group and were asking him questions,” with Borgwardt believing they seemed “suspicious of him,” indicating that his plan was unraveling.

Investigation Discovery
The Intriguing Case of Natalia Grace: Trailer Teases Escape Attempt After Being ‘Held Hostage’
View Story
When questioned about his travel plans in Canada, he mentioned he was unable to provide his itinerary as his phone had been acting up and was not functioning properly. He had last used it to contact a woman, believed to be his accomplice in this elaborate scheme, indicating a premeditated effort to establish connections.
He did disclose the flight he was planning to take and mentioned that “ultimately, they allowed him to proceed,” according to the affidavit. He also stated, as per the document, that he had brought only $5,500 in cash with him, raising further questions about his financial planning.
Borgwardt told investigators that while waiting for his flight, he did check the news and saw reports of a missing kayaker, which led him to believe “that his plan had worked,” reflecting his misguided sense of accomplishment.
In his statement to police, Borgwardt revealed that he transferred in Paris to an unspecified Asian country, and upon landing there “he went









