Missing Wisconsin kayaker might have faked death, fled country: Authorities

MADISON, Wis. (FOX 9) - When Ryan Borgwardt didn't return home from a fishing trip on Green Lake in Wisconsin in early August, local authorities believed he had drowned.

But now they believe he is alive and well, instead of at the bottom of the lake.

"This one tops my 18-and-a-half-years of being sheriff. It didn't turn out the way we thought it was going to turn out. It turned out completely different," Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podell told FOX 9.

After Borgwardt disappeared, sheriff's deputies found his van and trailer in a nearby park and then his capsized kayak in the lake, as well as his fishing pole and tackle box with his wallet, keys and ID inside.

But after scouring that section of the lake that is over 200-feet deep in some parts dozens of times over 54 days, investigators decided to look in a different direction.

"The pieces started adding up more and more that he is definitely not in our lake," said Podell. 

Investigators discovered Borgwardt had recently transferred money to a foreign bank account, replaced the hard drive on his computer and communicated with a woman in Uzbekistan. 

He had also gotten a new passport, which was checked by Canadian authorities the day after he was reported missing, and had taken out a $375,000 life insurance policy earlier in the year, leading investigators to believe Borgwardt faked his death and fled the country.

"You don't see this happening every day. It's not normal to all of a sudden just leave your family," said Podell.

Investigators believe Borgwardt is in Eastern Europe, but they aren't sure where.

They say they won't stop looking for him until they find him.

"We're going to continue to follow through on this case until we can't turn over any more leads," said Podell.

Podell says he wants restitution for the resources they spent looking for Borgwardt.

He is also looking at whether Borgwardt broke any laws, but so far he hasn't been charged with any.