US kayaker who faked death to flee family sentenced to jail

August 27, 2025

Ryan Borgwardt, a 45-year-old Wisconsin father of three, was sentenced to 89 days in prison and ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution after faking his own death in an elaborate scheme to start a new life in Europe. In August 2024, Borgwardt staged his disappearance during a fishing trip, prompting an extensive search effort, while he secretly fled to Canada and eventually to Georgia in the former Soviet Union to meet a woman he had connected with online. The judge's 89-day sentence, which matches the exact duration authorities spent searching for him, was more than double what prosecutors had requested in their plea deal.

Who is affected

Borgwardt's wife of 22 years and their three children
Search and rescue crews who spent resources looking for him
Green Lake County law enforcement and judicial system
The Russian-speaking woman who connected him with authorities
The woman from Uzbekistan whom he had met online

What action is being taken

Borgwardt is being sentenced to 89 days in prison for obstruction
He is ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution to cover search and rescue costs
His wife has filed for divorce
He has returned to the US from Georgia to face legal consequences

Why it matters

The case demonstrates the significant cost of search and rescue operations when someone fakes their death
The judge's decision to match the sentence to the exact duration of the search (89 days) reflects a direct consequence for wasting public resources
Borgwardt's elaborate planning, including taking out life insurance, transferring funds abroad, and reversing his vasectomy, shows the premeditated nature of his actions
The case highlights the emotional impact of such deception on family members

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC