Wisconsin man fakes death to be with his online lover: Now he’s headed to jail

Ryan Borgwardt, a 45-year-old man from Wisconsin, is facing the consequences of faking his own death. A court has ruled that Borgwardt will serve nearly three months in jail—the same amount of time he deceived authorities. He was also ordered to pay $30,000 to cover the costs of the search efforts.

The father of three was accused of staging a fake kayaking accident, fleeing the country, and attempting to start a new life in the country of Georgia to be with a woman he had met online, according to a report by NBC News. He was reported missing on August 12, 2024 after his overturned kayak and fishing gear were found on Green Lake in Wisconsin.

Search efforts soon began, involving divers, underwater drones, and sonar, but Borgwardt was not found—because he had already traveled to Canada and then to Georgia.

How Ryan Borgwardt faked his death

According to reports, the prosecutor explained that part of Borgwardt’s plan included reversing a vasectomy, purchasing visa insurance, obtaining a new passport, and transferring money abroad. He also researched methods for faking a drowning.

Once at the lake, the prosecutor said Borgwardt used a small inflatable boat to return to shore and then rode an electric bike to Madison. From there, he fled to Canada and then to Georgia, but authorities were able to track his movements. After being located, he returned to Wisconsin, even though the misdemeanor charge of obstruction he faced was not an extraditable offense.

“His entire plan to fake his death, to devastate his family in order to serve his own selfish desires, hinged on him dying in the lake and selling his death to the world,” said the prosecutor. For his actions, Green Lake County Circuit Court Judge Mark Slate sentenced him to 89 days in jail.

Is it illegal to fake your death in the United States?

According to the law firm H&P Law, faking your own death is not, in itself, a crime. However, disappearing without a trace is extremely difficult to do without breaking several laws. Faking your death for personal gain—such as to collect life insurance, evade taxes, violate court orders, or commit fraud—is illegal.

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