Wisconsin Dad & Kayaker Reveals He Faked Own Death, Shares Proof of Life Video with Police

Originally feared drowned, Ryan Borgwardt shared video with authorities proving he faked his death -- before allegedly revealing how he did it, as police urge him to return home, saying, "better gift could your kids get than to be there for Christmas?"

A Wisconsin father who authorities originally feared drowned but later speculated faked his own death has allegedly confirmed he did just that.

On Thursday, Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll gave a major update in the search for Ryan Borgwardt, who went missing after going kayaking on Green Lake on August 12. His update came after, earlier this month, Podell said authorities believed -- following a 54-day search -- the father-of-three actually fled "someplace in Europe."

During the press conference, Podoll confirmed his department has been in contact with Borgwardt, after connecting via a woman who spoke Russian. Authorities also shared a proof of live video he sent them, in which Borgwardt was seen in a plain-looking apartment in a t-shirt, saying, "Good evening, it's Ryan Borgwardt. The date is November 11. I'm in my apartment. I'm safe, I'm secure."

The video is at the 6:30 mark below:

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"That's the great news. The great news is he's still alive," Podoll said after sharing the footage with press. "The bad news is we don't know where Ryan exactly is, and he has not yet decided to return home."

Per the Sheriff, they've been in "nearly daily communications" with Borgwardt, claiming he and one of their deputies now have a "pretty good relationship." He then said Borgwardt also laid out how he made his big disappearance.

According to Podoll, Borgwardt explained he "stashed" an E-bike near the boat launch, before paddling his kayak and a small, child's sized floating boat onto the lake. He then allegedly overturned the kayak, threw his phone into the lake and paddled the inflatable boat to shore. Once there, he then took the E-bike and rode throughout the night to Madison, where he took a bus to Detriot, crossed the Canadian border and boarded a plane.

Green Lake County Sheriff's Office/WBAY

"We are continuing to verify this information, trying to put the dots together. But we feel that this was Ryan's way that he could tell the entire country how he did it," said Podoll.

"In our communications, we are stressing the importance of his decision to return home and clean up the mess that he has created," the sheriff added. "Our primary judicial concern is that he safely gets back to US soil. He needs to return home to his children. If he chooses not to return, it's on his own free will and I think the message is very clear."

Podoll said no warrants have been issued for Borgwardt, adding that they don't believe any will be necessary if he cooperates and returns home. He also said authorities are looking for restitution for costs spent looking for Borgwardt, which they estimate are more than $40,000.

"Christmas is coming," Podoll also said. "And what better gift could your kids get than to be there for Christmas?"

File Photo/Getty

The Search for Borgwardt

Podoll previously said that on Aug. 12, around 5:32 p.m. local time, deputies initially responded to a missing persons call, and discovered Borgwardt's vehicle and trailer. Around an hour after the alarm was first raised, authorities then found a capsized kayak in the western part of the lake in an area where the water is around 220 feet deep, the sheriff told reporters.

The following day, fishermen found Borgwardt's fishing rod in the same lake, before his tackle box was also discovered, according to officials. Inside the tackle box were a wallet, keys and license belonging to Borgwardt.

The sheriff explained that on Aug. 24, a team of divers and search dogs were brought in to help look for Borgwardt, who last had contact with his wife and children on Aug. 11, according to local TV station WBAY, and several area outlets.

Members of a volunteer search-and-recovery organization, Bruce's Legacy, also ran a 28-day search for the missing man, but turned up empty.

Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office/Facebook

Things took a turn on Oct. 7 when Sheriff Podoll said the search had to "go a different direction" after they discovered that Borgwardt's name had been checked by Canadian law enforcement on Aug. 13, the day after he was reported missing, per WBAY.

"That was something we didn't expect," the sheriff told reporters during last week's news conference, adding that Bogwardt's laptop -- which was provided to authorities by his wife -- had also been analyzed.

Investigators then delved further and discovered that Borgwardt allegedly reported his passport missing and obtained a replacement on May 22, according to WBAY.

Additional information gleaned from Borgwardt's laptop also allegedly showed that he took photos of his passport, moved funds to a foreign bank, changed his email and communicated with a woman in Uzbekistan ahead of his disappearance. He also took out a $375,000 life insurance policy in January, and purchased airline cards, Podoll told reporters.

Winona County Detention Center/Winona Police Department/Instagram