A Wisconsin father, who staged his death during a kayak trip to escape his family and relocate to Europe, has received a prison sentence that mirrors the duration of the search efforts for him.
Ryan Borgward, 45, was sentenced to 89 days in county jail after being found guilty of obstructing an officer, as reported during a hearing at the Green Lake County Court this past Tuesday.
Judge Mark Slate noted that the length of deception played a significant role in determining the sentence.
Borgward expressed remorse for his actions, acknowledging the distress he caused to his family and friends.
In addition to his jail time, the judge ordered Borgward to pay $30,000 to the Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for the resources wasted during the investigation into his supposed death.
The district attorney, Jeris Las Pisa, criticized Borgward for his “planned and selfish” actions, which caused significant harm, not just to his family but also to the larger community.
Borgward was reported missing by his family on August 12, 2024, after taking a kayak trip on Green Lake, situated around 100 miles northwest of Milwaukee. Authorities eventually found covered kayaks and life jackets believed to belong to him.
The extensive search for Borgward lasted eight weeks and incurred costs exceeding $50,000. However, it was uncovered that, while his family thought he was drowning, he was actually communicating online with a woman from Uzbekistan and had staged his own death to be with her.
Laspisa mentioned that Borgward openly declared his love for her and intended to start anew, even going so far as to reverse a vasectomy under the pretense that it had been lost or stolen.
Further investigations revealed that Borgward had opened a new bank account and inquired about transferring money to a foreign bank prior to his disappearance. He had also purchased a life insurance policy worth $375,000 seven months before he was reported missing.
On the day after he was reported missing, Canadian law enforcement had already searched for him. Allegedly, after staging his death, he traveled overnight on an electric bike for 70 miles to Madison, took a bus to Detroit, and journeyed to Toronto.
From Canada, he then flew to Paris and made his way to Georgia in Europe, where he claimed to have met up with a woman.
Borgward was tracked down in November, and upon returning to the U.S. in December, he faced charges for disrupting the search for his body.
Following his return, his wife, Emily, filed for divorce after 22 years of marriage.
Before his sentencing, Las Pisa condemned Borgward’s scheme, suggesting that his fake death was merely a ploy to indulge his own wants at the cost of his family.
Borgward later told authorities that he believed he could escape the situation and decided to fake his death due to “personal issues.”
Four months after his return, his wife finalized their divorce. Following the court’s verdict, Borgward’s lawyer stated that he feels deep regret over his actions and returned to the U.S. to make amends. His legal team also confirmed that he made restitution of $30,000 last week.
