Ryan Borgwardt, accused of faking his own death during a kayaking trip to flee his family and move to Europe, has returned to Wisconsin, this time in the custody of law enforcement.
The Green Lake County Sheriff's Office confirmed Borgwardt's detention Monday, WBAY reported, marking the end of a months-long saga that began in August when he was reported missing. Officials spent weeks searching Green Lake, only to announce in November that they believed Borgwardt staged his death.
Authorities revealed Borgwardt paddled to shore in a child-sized raft before fleeing to Eastern Europe via Canada. He allegedly orchestrated the plan to pursue a relationship with a woman from Uzbekistan, securing a new passport three months before his disappearance.
Sheriff Mark Podoll previously stated that Borgwardt expressed concern over how his community would react, claiming he didn't expect the search efforts to last longer than two weeks. "He picked the wrong sheriff and the wrong department," Podoll said.
Borgwardt faces possible charges, though no warrants were issued prior to his capture. Further details will be shared at a press conference scheduled for Wednesday morning at 10 a.m.
Originally published by Latin Times.
