GREEN LAKE, Wis. (Scripps News Milwaukee) — Ryan Borgwardt, the Wisconsin man who faked his own drowning and left his wife and three children to go to Eastern Europe, was sentenced to 89 days in county jail. He will also be required to pay $30,000 in restitution.
Ryan Borgwardt appears in court at his plea hearing Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025. (Court TV)
Borgwardt appeared in court on Tuesday for a plea agreement and sentencing hearing on a charge of obstructing an officer. While a sentence of 45 days was agreed upon by the defense and the prosecutor, the judge sentenced Borgwardt to 89 days, which is the equivalent of the amount of time it took law enforcement to contact him after he faked his death.
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Borgwardt told authorities that he faked his death because of “personal matters.” He said he traveled about 50 miles from his home to Green Lake, where he overturned his kayak, dumped his phone and then paddled an inflatable boat to shore.
After leaving the lake, he rode an electric bike about 70 miles through the night to Madison, where he took a bus to Detroit. He then boarded a bus to Canada and got on a plane.
The sheriff’s office has said the search for Borgwardt’s body, which lasted more than a month, cost at least $35,000.
Two days after returning to Wisconsin, Borgwardt’s wife filed for legal separation. Their divorce was finalized earlier this year.
This story was originally published by Scripps News Milwaukee, an E.W. Scripps Company.
