GREEN LAKE COUNTY, Wis. (WKOW) — The Green Lake County Sheriff said his office is no longer searching Big Green Lake for a missing kayaker. Instead, authorities believe the man faked his own disappearance and may be living somewhere in Europe.
The twist in the missing person's case was announced Friday by Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll at a news conference.
Ryan Allen Borgwardt, 45, was last seen on Aug. 12 near the west end of Big Green Lake near Dodge Memorial Park. His vehicle and trailer were found in the area of Dodge Memorial Park.
Authorities believed Borgwardt had drowned in the lake, and searched relentlessly for him for 54 days.
Throughout the search, officials recovered the kayak, a life jacket, a water bottle, a tackle box and a fishing rod that belonged to Borgwardt.
The sheriff’s office conducted aerial drone searches daily for a period of several days. The sheriff's office was assisted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bruce’s Legacy, a team of expert divers and cadaver dogs.
After all searches had come up empty, on Oct. 7 Podoll decided it was time to pursue other avenues.
Ultimately, investigators decided to run Borgwardt's name. With the assistance of the Mid-States Organized Crime Information Center (MOCIC), investigators learned that Ryan’s name had been checked by law enforcement in Canada on Aug. 13, 2024.
Next, investigators uncovered details suggesting he faked his disappearance and left the country.
Investigators found a second passport, cleared browsers on the day of his disappearance, inquiries about moving funds to foreign banks, a new $375,000 life insurance policy and an airline gift card.
"A digital forensic analysis of a laptop has provided a digital trail showing that Ryan had planned his disappearance to Europe and attempted to conceal his efforts and mislead our investigation," Podoll said.
"Our goal is to identify any crimes committed by any individuals who assisted with this crime," Podoll added.
The sheriff said the best thing Borgwardt can do is return to his family. He said restitution would also be pursued for the expenses of the search, which have been funded by the taxpayers.
Keith Cormican who founded Bruce's Legacy, says after not being able to find him for more than 10 days, he knew something was not right.
Cormican has been searching lakes for drowned victims for more than 30 years and says he was confident in his skills to find Borgwardt.
"I've never searched as much of this area so thoroughly and not come up with something," said Cormican. "So yeah, I was in question on it for a long time."
If there is someone out there who has either knowingly or unknowingly assisted Ryan in his efforts, the sheriff is asking them to come forward by contacting the Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 920-294-4134 ext 1162.
If there are people who have information pertaining to this case, they can remain anonymous and provide information through Green Lake County Crime Stoppers. Text “GETTHEM” to 847411. Tips provided that lead to arrests or convictions will be eligible for a reward.
If you cannot text, you can call 1-800-GET THEM.
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