Green Lake missing kayaker investigation, man contacted: sheriff
Green Lake County sheriff plays video Ryan Borgwardt shared with investigators
GREEN LAKE, Wis. - The Green Lake County Sheriff's Office on Thursday announced it has made contact with Ryan Borgwardt, the kayaker initially thought to have gone missing this summer but later believed to have faked his own death.
The sheriff said, while they do not yet know where he is, he is alive and deputies are in touch with him – working to get him to return home.
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Borgwardt video
On Nov. 8, the sheriff said investigators began to use various data points – such as phone numbers and email addresses – in an effort to get in contact with Borgwardt.
Investigators contacted a woman who spoke Russian and on Nov. 11, through her, they contacted Borgwardt. In an effort to verify if he was safe, they asked him a number of personal questions and asked him to provide a video of himself – which he did.
Green Lake County sheriff plays video Ryan Borgwardt shared with investigators
"Good evening, it's Ryan Borgwardt," he says in the video, which the sheriff's office shared on Thursday. "Safe, secure, no problem."
While the sheriff's office made contact, Podoll said it remains unclear exactly where Borgwardt is – though he is believed to be in Eastern Europe. He has not contacted his family.
"Christmas is coming, and what better gift he could give his kids as to be there for Christmas," Podoll said.
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Disappearance plan
Podoll said Borgwardt told investigators his plan. The sheriff's office is still working to verify Borgwardt's statements.
Borgwardt claimed he stashed an e-bike near the Green Lake boat launch and paddled his kayak and a child-sized inflatable boat onto the lake. He overturned the kayak, dumped his phone in the water and paddled the inflatable boat to shore. He then got on the e-bike and rode through the night to Madison, where he got on a bus to Detroit and then the Canadian border. He rode the bus to an airport, where he got on a plane.
"We feel that this was Ryan's way that he could tell the entire country how he did it," Podoll said. "In our communications, we are expressing the importance of his decision to return home, clean up the mess that he created. Our primary concern has been that he safely gets back to U.S. soil.
"He needs to return home to his children. If he chooses not to return, it's on his own free will, and I think the message is very clear."
Further, the sheriff said Borgwardt told investigators he picked Green Lake because it is the deepest lake in Wisconsin.
Green Lake
"He didn't expect us to go more than two weeks in searching for him," Podoll said. "Well, I hate to tell you he picked the wrong sheriff and the wrong department."
Investigators previously learned Borgwardt obtained a second passport, cleared his hard drives and browser history and changed his banking information on the day of his disappearance. He also took out a $375,000 life insurance policy and purchased an airline gift card.
As to why Borgwardt tried to stage his death, the sheriff would only say he had a personal matter going on and that this was the "right thing" to do.
Will Borgwardt be charged?
Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll said Borgwardt faces an obstructing charge for staging his death. He cannot comment on federal charges that may or may not be filed. Green Lake County will be seeking restitution between $35,000 and $40,000 – not including dive expenses.
No warrants have been issued yet.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies have assisted the Green Lake County Sheriff's Office in the investigation. Bruce's Legacy and Charlie DeGroot assisted with dive efforts.