Three Wisconsin fathers faked their deaths, fled to Europe, trying to start a new life, and were sentenced to 89 days in prison – the same time that authorities were looking for him.
Ryan Borgwardt, 45, disappeared on a fishing trip in August 2024, leaving behind his phone, ID card and a overturned boat. Officials searched for his body, but later found that he had fled to Canada and then in Georgia, the former Soviet Union.
Officials said he went to Georgia to meet a woman from Uzbekistan that he met online.
The judge’s 89-day prison sentence for the obstacle is twice as high as the prosecutor’s plea deal as part of his plea deal with Borgwardt.
Green Lake County Circuit Judge Mark Slate also ordered him to pay $30,000 (£22,000) in damages to cover the costs of being sent to find him.
“He has hindered law enforcement in total, totaling 89 days,” according to CBS News, a U.S. partner of the BBC.
Before the verdict, Borgwardt told the court: “I deeply regret the actions I did that night and all the pain I caused to my family, friends.”
Before leaving his 22-year-old wife, Borgwardt took out his life insurance policy, transferred funds to a foreign bank account, applied for a replacement passport, and took medical procedures to reverse his vasectomy.
“His whole plan was to fake his death, destroy his family to serve his selfish desires, which was in line with his death in the lake and selling his death to the world,” District Attorney Gerise Laspisa said before his sentence.
According to the prosecutor, his plan found a Russian-speaking woman in November connected to the authorities. Her identity is not yet known.
Law enforcement said they contacted him to lure him home, and later released a short clip of a video he sent to authorities.
He said in the video: “I’m in my apartment. I’m safe and no problem.”
By December, he returned to the United States and was charged with a blockage. His wife also filed for divorce.
His attorney said Tuesday that Bogwater could have chosen to stay in Georgia because the misdemeanor he faced did not qualify him for extradition.
“If he doesn’t want to come back; he doesn’t need to come back,” NBC News said.
He added: “He came back from Europe to take responsibility for his actions.”
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