A Man's Elaborate Escape: The Truth Behind the Fake Death

A man from Wisconsin, Ryan Borgwardt, made headlines when he faked his own death in a kayaking accident. He left his wife and three kids behind to meet a woman he had been talking to online. This woman was from Uzbekistan and lived in Georgia. Borgwardt's plan was to make it look like he had drowned while kayaking on Green Lake. He even went as far as to get a new passport and take out a life insurance policy before he disappeared. The search for Borgwardt lasted 58 days. During this time, his family and friends were devastated, thinking he had drowned. But investigators started to suspect something was off when they couldn't find his body. They discovered that Borgwardt had gotten a new passport a few months before he disappeared. This made them think he might have faked his death. Borgwardt was eventually found in Georgia. He had traveled there after a long journey that included a bus ride to Toronto, a flight to Paris, and then another flight to Georgia. He met up with the woman he had been talking to online and spent several days with her in a hotel before settling down in Georgia. When Borgwardt returned to the US, he was charged with obstructing the search for his body. He pleaded no contest to the charges and was sentenced to 89 days in jail. This was almost double the amount of time recommended in his plea deal. The judge said the longer sentence would serve as a deterrent to others who might consider faking their death and misleading law enforcement. Borgwardt's actions caused a lot of pain for his family and friends. His wife of 22 years divorced him just four months after he disappeared. Borgwardt said in court that he deeply regretted his actions and the pain he caused. His attorney said Borgwardt returned to the US to make amends and that he had paid $30, 000 in restitution to law enforcement.