Wisconsin man accused of faking death and fleeing country surrenders to authorities

A man from Wisconsin, facing accusations of fabricating his death and absconding from the nation, abandoning his spouse and three offspring, surrendered to law enforcement on Wednesday. He entered a plea of not guilty to a misdemeanor obstruction charge. Ryan Borgwardt, according to Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll, “returned on his own” approximately four months subsequent to his vanishing, as stated to journalists during a press briefing. Mr. Borgwardt, aged 45, disappeared in August during a solitary fishing excursion on Green Lake. He left his kayak and mobile phone in the water, prompting officials, who presumed he had drowned, to search for his remains. He presented himself in court in Green Lake on Wednesday to formally submit his not-guilty plea. His release was granted upon payment of a $500 (£390) bond and his commitment to attend a subsequent court session. Subsequent to the court proceedings, his wife reportedly initiated divorce proceedings. Local media cited court records indicating her belief that the couple’s 22-year marriage was “irretrievably broken.” She is pursuing sole custody of their offspring. Sheriff Podoll stated that Mr. Borgwardt initiated contact with law enforcement three months following his disappearance. The sheriff mentioned that officers were “pulling at his heartstrings” in an effort to persuade him to return home for Christmas. The Associated Press (AP) news agency reported that the sheriff’s office dedicated over a month to searching for Mr. Borgwardt’s body after his disappearance, incurring costs of at least $35,000 (£27,500) for the city. At the court hearing on Wednesday, Mr. Borgwardt informed the judge of his desire to represent himself, citing an inability to afford legal counsel. The judge advised him that a public defender would be assigned to represent him at his subsequent court appearance on 13 January. During his news conference, Sheriff Podoll indicated that Mr. Borgwardt might be obligated to reimburse the city, stating that such reimbursement “is part of the restitution we presented to the court.” Furthermore, Sheriff Podoll disclosed that before Mr. Borgwardt’s vanishing, he had moved funds into an overseas bank account and had been in contact with a female individual in Uzbekistan. The sheriff’s office refrained from commenting on Mr. Borgwardt’s whereabouts, merely stating that on 10 December, Mr. Borgwardt “arrived on US soil.” Authorities had earlier discovered indications that Mr. Borgwardt utilized his passport subsequent to his disappearance and potentially journeyed to Eastern Europe. Court records released on Wednesday disclosed that he had resided in Georgia. Upon first observing Mr. Borgwardt’s absence on 12 August, police presumed he had drowned and conducted a search of the lake for 54 days. Sheriff Podoll reported that they initially established contact with Mr. Borgwardt in November, following outreach to a Russian-speaking woman who facilitated his connection with law enforcement. Subsequently, Mr. Borgwardt transmitted a 24-second video to authorities, filmed in a selfie manner, depicting him inside an apartment featuring white walls. In the video, he stated, “I’m safe, secure, no problem.” In their almost daily communications, Mr. Borgwardt purportedly disclosed to police the method by which he arranged his escape. According to police, after submerging his kayak and mobile phone in the lake, he navigated a small, child-sized vessel to the shoreline where he had concealed an e-bike. They indicate he then cycled through the night to Madison, Wisconsin, took a bus to Detroit, Michigan, and boarded an aircraft to Canada, proceeding to an undisclosed destination. Sheriff Podoll conveyed that Mr. Borgwardt claimed to have simulated his death due to “personal matters.” The sheriff appeared visibly moved as he provided the update to reporters on Wednesday, remarking, “We brought a dad back.” Mr. Borgwardt has maintained no communication with his family since his departure in August. “We just briefly spoke to them,” Sheriff Podoll stated on Wednesday. He added, “I can only imagine how they feel.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC does not assume responsibility for the content found on external sites. Details on our approach to external linking can be reviewed.