Missing father of 3 may have faked his own death and fled to 'someplace in Europe': officials

Wisconsin authorities believe a father of three who disappeared on Aug. 12 may have staged his disappearance and fled to Europe.

Ryan Borgwardt's family reported him missing that Monday when he did not come home, and Wisconsin authorities and volunteers searched for the 45-year-old for months after locating his capsized kayak in Green Lake that same day.

The next day, two fishermen casting along the bottom of Green Lake "came up with a fishing rod" that officials collected as evidence, and Borgwardt's wife identified the fishing rod as her husband's, Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll said during a Nov. 8 press conference recorded by FOX 11.

Months of searches involving law enforcement and volunteers with Bruce's Legacy, a Wisconsin-based organization providing search and recovery operations for drowned victims, went by without answers.

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"On Oct. 4, which was a Friday, I met with Keith Cormican from Bruce's Legacy, and he said to me, 'Sheriff, I've done a lot of searches, and I can't find him,'" Podoll recalled. "He said, ‘We searched, and we searched.’"

Cormican's insight led law enforcement to take their investigation in "a different direction" on Oct. 7, Podoll explained during the press conference.

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That was when the sheriff's office decided to conduct a digital forensic analysis of Borgwardt's computer, and they soon determined that the missing father and husband was likely alive "someplace in Europe."

Authorities also determined through digital forensic analysis that prior to his disappearance, Borgwardt replaced the hard drive of his laptop, cleared his browser history the day he went missing, took photos of his passport, moved money to a foreign bank, changed his email address and had been in "communication with a woman from Uzbekistan," Podoll explained.

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Additionally, Borgwardt "took out a $300,000 life insurance policy in January and purchased airline cards," the sheriff said, all of which led officials to believe he is still alive somewhere — just not in the United States.

"Due to these discoveries of the new evidence, we were sure that Ryan was not in our lake," Podoll said, later describing his office's investigation as "a puzzle" they have to "put together," with many intricate pieces. 

Law enforcement is working to determine whether a crime was committed or if anyone may have assisted with the commission of that crime.

Podoll also emphasized the significant loss for taxpayers, who funded a monthslong search for a man who may not be missing at all.

The sheriff further thanked Borgwardt's family, and particularly his wife, for their help searching for the 45-year-old. 

"She is one strong lady… I cannot imagine what she's going through," Podoll said.

To Borgwardt, Podoll said, "Ryan, if you are viewing this, I plead that you contact us or contact your family. We understand that things can happen, but there's a family that wants their daddy back."

The investigation into Borgwardt's disappearance will continue and "involve a lot more people" going forward, the sheriff said.