Wisconsin father who staged kayak death and fled abroad now faces charges for obstruction in U.S.

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Ryan Borgwardt, a man from Wisconsin, has returned to the United States after allegedly faking his own death and disappearing overseas. He appeared before a judge in Green Lake County and was charged with obstruction of an officer. Despite having $20 in his wallet, bail was set at $500 as he voluntarily turned himself in. Borgwardt could face $10,000 and nine months in jail for his actions. The sheriff expressed relief at his return and mentioned the possibility of him having to reimburse search and rescue costs. Borgwardt’s disappearance on August 12 while kayaking led to a search which did not uncover any evidence of his whereabouts. He was traced using his own passport and eventually located by a Russian-speaking woman who helped authorities contact him. Despite pleas from the sheriff to return home for the holidays, Borgwardt’s exact location remains undisclosed. His next court date is set for January 13. There were emotions in court as the judge entered a not guilty plea for Borgwardt, with DA Gerise LaSpisa trying to prevent photographers from taking pictures of Borgwardt’s parents. It was not confirmed if any family members were present at the hearing. Borgwardt’s journey involved riding an inflatable boat, an electric bike, a bus to Detroit, crossing into Canada, and eventually boarding a plane.

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