Wisconsin Man Who Faked Death and Fled to Europe Returns to Face Charges

Ryan Borgwardt, accused of staging a drowning to abandon his family, turned himself in after months on the run.

Ryan Borgwardt, 45, faked his own death in August by staging a kayaking accident on Green Lake, Wisconsin's deepest lake.
He fled to Europe, traveling via Canada and claiming to have lived in the country of Georgia, after abandoning his wife and three children.
Authorities spent over $35,000 on a 54-day search for Borgwardt, initially believing he had drowned.
Investigators uncovered his plan through digital evidence, including communications with a woman in Uzbekistan and a $375,000 life insurance policy.
Borgwardt returned voluntarily to the U.S. on December 10 and faces charges, including obstruction, with additional legal proceedings pending.