A Wisconsin father-of-three who staged his demise on a kayaking journey to desert his household and run off to Europe along with his on-line fling will now spend as a lot time in jail as authorities spent looking for him.
Ryan Borgwardt, 45, was sentenced to 89 days in county jail after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor cost of obstructing an officer throughout his listening to in Inexperienced Lake County court docket on Tuesday, WISN 12 Information reported.
Choose Mark Slate mentioned his sentencing ruling was based mostly on “the size of time he allowed his deception to proceed.”
Borgwardt mentioned he “deeply” regretted his actions and the “ache I brought on my household and mates,” as he addressed the court docket earlier than his sentencing.
Slate additionally ordered that the fleeing household man pay $30,000 to the Inexperienced Lake County Sheriff’s Workplace and the Wisconsin Division of Pure Sources for losing their assets investigating his demise.
Inexperienced Lake County District Lawyer Gerise LaSpisa slammed the daddy of three’s “premeditated, egocentric actions” for the “unbelievable injury” he brought on “not solely to his household, however our group.”
Borgwardt was reported lacking by his household on Aug. 12, 2024, following a kayaking journey at Inexperienced Lake about 100 miles northwest of Milwaukee.
An overturned kayak and lifejacket that authorities consider belonged to the lacking father had been ultimately recovered — main investigators to suspect that he had drowned.
The seek for Borgwardt lasted eight weeks, with search efforts costing a minimum of $50,000, as the local people poured in numerous hours and assets to seek out him.
Nonetheless, after 54 days of looking for his physique, investigators found the father-of-three had been chatting with a Uzbekistani girl on-line and had not drowned within the lake, however as a substitute had faked his personal demise to be along with her.
“He frequently communicated with the lady, professing his love and want to create a brand new life along with her,” LaSpisa mentioned.
“He reversed his vasectomy, he utilized for a alternative passport, claiming that his authentic one, which his spouse discovered within the household secure in its regular place, was misplaced or stolen.”
Investigators found that Borgwardt had opened a brand new checking account, inquired about transferring funds to international banks, wiped his laptop, and inexplicably bought a $375,000 life insurance coverage coverage seven months earlier than his disappearance.
Officers additionally discovered that Borgwardt’s title had been checked by legislation enforcement in Canada the day after he was reported lacking.
After staging his demise, Borgwardt rode an electrical bike 70 miles in a single day to Madison. He then caught a bus to Detroit and crossed into Canada to board a airplane in Toronto, in accordance with CBS Information.
From Canada, he flew to Paris earlier than ultimately reaching the European nation of Georgia.
He advised investigators his paramour picked him up, they usually spent a number of days in a lodge earlier than reaching Georgia.
Investigators ultimately tracked down Borgwardt in November and satisfied him to return to the US in December, the place he surrendered and was charged with obstructing the seek for his physique.
“His total plan to pretend his demise to devastate his household with a view to serve his personal egocentric wishes hinged on him dying within the lake and promoting his demise to the world,” LaSpisa mentioned earlier than his sentencing.
Borgwardt advised authorities upon returning to the US that he faked his demise due to “private issues” and thought authorities would quit the seek for him after a while.
“The defendant didn’t depend on the willpower and dedication of our legislation enforcement,” LaSpisa mentioned.
4 months after returning, his spouse of twenty-two years, Emily, divorced him — claiming their marriage was “irretrievably damaged,” WISN 12 Information reported.
Following his sentencing Tuesday, Borgwardt’s lawyer, Erik Johnson, mentioned his consumer “deeply regrets” his actions and returned to the US “to make amends.”
His lawyer additionally mentioned he paid $30,000 in restitution final week.
