Sheriff Mark Podoll stood before the cameras, pleading with Ryan Borgwardt — a husband and father — to contact his family. Months earlier, officials had conducted an extensive search and rescue for Borgwardt.
Since Aug. 12, officials and family have believed that the Wisconsin resident has been missing after kayaking at Green Lake.
Watch NBC6 free wherever you are
During a Nov. 8 press conference, Podoll revealed that evidence suggests Borgwardt is instead alive, possibly faked his death, and potentially in Europe.
“We know that he’s not in our lake,” Podoll said, referring to Green Lake, where Borgwardt’s empty kayak was found adrift in August, sparking fear that he had drowned and a lengthy search effort that included canine searches and divers. Now, authorities have shifted their focus.
Get local news you need to know to start your day with NBC 6's News Headlines newsletter.
This shift in the investigation has prompted new questions about Ryan Borgwardt, who he is and what might have caused him to lead his family into believing he died.
Who is Ryan Borgwardt?
Ryan Borgwardt is a resident of Watertown, Wisconsin, who was believed to have gone missing on Aug. 12, 2024, after he failed to return from a kayaking trip on Green Lake.
U.S. & World
He is married and a father to high school and grade school-aged kids, according to Podell.
When did Ryan Borgwardt go missing?
Borgwardt was last seen the night of Aug. 12, the sheriff said during the news conference. Podell said deputies responded to a missing persons call around 5:32 p.m. local time, with Borgwardt's car and trailer found in the Dodge Memorial Park area.
Podoll noted that the sheriff's office had pinned Borgwardt's last known location to Green Lake.
“Deputies headed that way, checked areas around the lake and found Ryan’s vehicle, along with his trailer, parked in the area of Dodge Memorial Park,” Podoll explained.
Borgwardt's capsized kayak was first found in the western part of the lake, the following day his fishing rod and tackle box, with his wallet, keys and license, was found, Podoll said.
Three cadaver dogs and a dive team were also brought in to help with the search on Aug. 24. Still, Podoll said, after an almost eight-week search, they could not find him.
What do officials think happened to Ryan Borgwardt?
Officials say evidence suggests Borgwardt may have faked his own disappearance and left the country for Europe.
Podell said that on Oct. 7 they discovered that Borgwardt’s passport was “run” on Aug. 13, a day after he went missing. As they continued their investigation, detectives discovered that law enforcement officials in Canada ran his name and that Borgwardt obtained a new passport, Green Lake County authorities said, per NBC News.
Investigators then conducted a digital forensic analysis of Borgwardt’s laptop, which his wife gave them, and concluded “that he was in some place in Europe.” Podell alleged that Borgwardt replaced the laptop's hard drive and cleared the browser on the day he went missing.
“We found out that he moved funds to a foreign bank, changing his email and communication with a woman from Uzbekistan,” Podoll remarked, noting that Borgwardt took out a $375,000 life insurance policy in January and purchased airline cards. “Due to these discoveries of the new evidence, we were sure that Ryan was not in our lake.”
“Everything that we have found — we’re in a really good position that we know he is someplace out there,” Podoll continued. “All we wanna know is he’s safe.”
What’s next?
Officials are pressing on with their investigation into Borgwardt, focusing their efforts on gathering further information about his motive and whereabouts.
The sheriff also encourages anyone with knowledge to come forward. Podoll said it was too early to identify any charges that Borgwardt might face.
Borgwardt’s wife, Emily Borgwardt, told NBC News via text, “I cannot make any comments at this time since it is still an active investigation.”
The investigation continues to involve multiple agencies like the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, with officials seeking to locate Borgwardt and address any potential legal violations.
“Our goals is to identify any crimes that have been committed by any individuals who assisted with this crime,” Podoll said.
Authorities continue to hold out hope that Borgwardt will make contact with them. During the conference, Podoll urged him to reach out to his family or authorities.
“There’s one last thing I want to do, and this is to Ryan. Ryan, if you’re viewing this, I plea that you contact us or contact your family. We understand that things can happen, but there’s a family that wants their Daddy back.”
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
