A man named Ryan Borgwardt, aged 45, meticulously planned his disappearance to start a new life in Eastern Europe with a woman he met online. To execute his scheme, he took out a substantial life insurance policy in January 2024 and staged his own death by faking an incident near Green Lake, Wisconsin. Borgwardt communicated with his wife, Emily, through text messages, creating a narrative that led her to believe he had met a tragic end.
After tipping over his kayak to feign an accident, Borgwardt switched to an inflatable boat and later utilized a bike and buses to reach the Canadian border. Subsequently, he flew out of the country after ensuring his documents were in order and funds were transferred to an overseas account. His disappearance left his family distraught, thinking he had met an unfortunate fate.
Despite the widespread belief that Borgwardt was deceased, authorities eventually traced his movements to Canada with the help of a Russian-speaking woman. He was found alive, and the search for him was called off. In December 2024, he voluntarily returned to the United States and faced legal consequences for his elaborate hoax. Borgwardt was fined $30,000 (£22,128), served an 89-day prison sentence matching his time in hiding, and ultimately experienced a divorce from his wife in May 2025.
Reflecting on his actions, Borgwardt expressed deep remorse for the pain he caused his loved ones. This incident serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of attempting to abandon one’s life through deceitful means.
