US Man Who Faked Death Sends Video to Wisconsin Investigators Confirming Safety

An American man who orchestrated his own death and departed the country, leaving his family behind, has transmitted a video to investigators in his home state of Wisconsin to verify his well-being. Ryan Borgwardt, 45, disappeared on August 12 during a solitary fishing excursion, as announced by the Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office in a Thursday news conference. Law enforcement initially suspected he had drowned and conducted a 54-day search of the lake before uncovering digital evidence that led them to believe he had fled to Eastern Europe. Officials stated that Mr. Borgwardt is indebted to them for $40,000 (£32,000) to cover the expenses of their search operation and could face charges for obstructing the inquiry into his disappearance. Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll disclosed at a Thursday press conference that authorities had established communication with Mr. Borgwardt since the beginning of the current month, following contact with a woman who speaks Russian. She assisted in connecting him with police. Law enforcement did not provide specifics regarding the woman’s identity or her relationship with Mr. Borgwardt. “The great news is he’s still alive and well,” Mr Podoll said. “The bad news is that we don’t know where exactly Ryan is, and he has not decided to return home.” The 24-second video footage Mr. Borgwardt transmitted to officials was recorded in a selfie format, depicting him inside an apartment featuring white walls. “Good evening, it’s Ryan Borgwardt,” he states. “Today is 11 November. It’s approximately 10 am by you guys. I’m in my apartment. “I am safe, secure, no problem. I hope this works.” In their almost daily communications, Mr. Borgwardt reportedly disclosed to police the method by which he arranged his escape. According to police, after submerging his kayak and cell phone in the lake, he used a small, child-sized vessel to reach the shore, where he had concealed an E-bike. He then cycled through the night to Madison, Wisconsin, subsequently took a bus to Detroit, and boarded an aircraft in Canada bound for an undisclosed destination. “We are continuing to verify this information, trying to put the dots together,” Mr Podoll said. “But we feel that this was Ryan’s way that he could tell the entire country how he did it.” Mr. Borgwardt is believed to have operated independently. Sheriff Podoll further stated that Mr. Borgwardt has maintained no communication with his family since his departure. He abandoned his three children and his spouse. Prior to his leaving, investigators discovered he had acquired a life insurance policy valued at $375,000 (£297,875), moved money to an overseas bank account, captured an image of his new passport, and modified his email address. Additionally, he had engaged in online communication with a woman located in Uzbekistan. Regarding inquiries into his potential reasons for simulating his death, Sheriff Podoll responded, “he just had personal matters going on and he thought this was the right thing to do”. He further mentioned that law enforcement has been sending emails to Mr. Borgwardt, “pulling at his heartstrings” in an attempt to persuade him to return home and “clean up the mess that he has created”. The sheriff displayed emotion during the press conference held on Thursday, stating that Mr. Borgwardt’s children would be without their father during the upcoming holiday period. “Christmas is coming up,” he remarked. “And what better a gift to give those kids than to be there for Christmas.”