Found Alive WI - Ryan Borgwardt, 45, Green Lake, 11 Aug 2024 *evidence that he faked his death and is alive in Eastern Europe*

[OneLove]

Thank you so much for sharing this gifted article with us! I can honestly say I was surprised at the end to see him still try to blame his ex wife and say that he wants to be with Katya still. He hasn't learned a damn thing. I feel bad for his kids.

His attitude reeks of "just doing divorce in a different less hurtful way". Seems utterly unable to put himself in another's shoes.

But, imo, he really MOST wanted to just do it in as QUICKLY a way as possible so he could get to Katya. And Katya, it seems from the article, KNEW IN ADVANCE that he was planning to fake his death. Did she actually encourage that (for speed and money)?.

 

[Sjöberg]

Gifted article from The Atlantic. It's a pretty good "deep dive" into the case:

This was a really good read.

I'd like to highlight two snippets regarding why (other than selfish reasons and monetary reasons, that were obviously there) the fake death looked better than trying to get a divorce.

Along with managing her own grief and that of her children, she was taking on the tasks her husband used to do: paying the bills, making sure the garbage cans got to the curb. Every time she felt overwhelmed, people showed up to help. A retired police deputy mowed her lawn every week. Several dozen volunteer firefighters from the station where Ryan had worked came over to trim trees and stack wood. How was she going to explain to them that she was not a grieving widow but … what? A spurned wife? A dupe?

Having your husband die makes people flock for support. Having a divorce... usually makes people keep their distance, especially in religious areas. Reminds me of the saying about how it is the wrong way around that we gather the family and frinds for marrying and not divorce. Also it shows how stigmatized being divorced still is, especially for women.

Emily had filed for separation on the advice of a lawyer friend who worried that she might be affected by any civil or criminal judgments against her husband, and they were now legally divorced. But to her, their vows were a different matter. “I’m a Christian and I believe strongly in marriage,” she said.

I asked if she would consider reconciling. I assumed the answer would be a hard no. I was wrong. Emily said she would be willing to try, despite how much work that might take.

While this degree of forgivness is honourable in may respects, it is also not hard for me to see how it is borderline impossible to divorce your partner if they think like that. There is no way out.

This is a really crazy story, but I do hope everyone involved can heal, especially the children.

 

[Charlot123]

Gifted article from The Atlantic. It's a pretty good "deep dive" into the case:

The Missing Kayaker

What happened to Ryan Borgwardt?

www.theatlantic.com

Yes thank you very much for sharing. A lot of things to process.

About Ryan: am I the only one to notice the intenseness of his eyes on the photos before he faked his death? Sadly, there are no similar close-ups to compare with his eyes "upon return".

Also: how did he manage to accrue such high debt before he met Katya?

About Katya: I assumed that she didn't know that he was married, or perhaps hoped he'd get divorced and take her to the US. But, as it seems, she was aware that he was married and faking his death? Search engines and AIs work in Georgia as well, so a quick look up would have explained to her what it implied. So I assume that either Ryan presented himself as extremely wealthy to Katya (how did a millionaire who disappeared in the Alps came to his mind otherwise?), or perhaps indeed, Ryan was safe as long as his money lasted. Who knows?

This being said, if indeed they ended up in Georgia (I think it is believable), there is another angle to look at it. Political changes in different parts of the former USSR led to increased migration to Georgia, and it is new. People come from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, and Armenia. Georgians are known for their hospitality, but a migrant's life is difficult everywhere. People are faced with the same problems, including legal ones. Georgian is a difficult language to learn and not an Indo-European one. In social media, i have noticed peculiar mentality of women who are divorced, burdened with own kids, migrated and are now surviving in Georgia. They are confused. To add - Georgians themselves highly praise family values and are fiercely loyal to own parents, wives and kids. And, they are devout Orthodox Christians. (Ask why Georgia asked for Russian protectorate in the end of the 18th century? To preserve own Christianity.)

So even from this side, the Georgians would not support Ryan for what he did. And you do need the support of the locals to live there. They are the daredevils, the Georgians, but to tell them the story of faking death and stealing money from own wife and kids to fly to the other side of the world for a woman who one met less than eight months ago online? I know exactly what they'd say to him, but can't post it. (There is also a strong element of tribalism in Georgia, so you don't leave "your" woman, "your" kids and yes, "your" religion for someone else's ones).

Anyhow. Can't comment on his wife's choices, but he is quite a tool.

 

[Charlot123]

This was a really good read.

I'd like to highlight two snippets regarding why (other than selfish reasons and monetary reasons, that were obviously there) the fake death looked better than trying to get a divorce.

Along with managing her own grief and that of her children, she was taking on the tasks her husband used to do: paying the bills, making sure the garbage cans got to the curb. Every time she felt overwhelmed, people showed up to help. A retired police deputy mowed her lawn every week. Several dozen volunteer firefighters from the station where Ryan had worked came over to trim trees and stack wood. How was she going to explain to them that she was not a grieving widow but … what? A spurned wife? A dupe?

Having your husband die makes people flock for support. Having a divorce... usually makes people keep their distance, especially in religious areas. Reminds me of the saying about how it is the wrong way around that we gather the family and frinds for marrying and not divorce. Also it shows how stigmatized being divorced still is, especially for women.

Emily had filed for separation on the advice of a lawyer friend who worried that she might be affected by any civil or criminal judgments against her husband, and they were now legally divorced. But to her, their vows were a different matter. “I’m a Christian and I believe strongly in marriage,” she said.

I asked if she would consider reconciling. I assumed the answer would be a hard no. I was wrong. Emily said she would be willing to try, despite how much work that might take.

While this degree of forgivness is honourable in may respects, it is also not hard for me to see how it is borderline impossible to divorce your partner if they think like that. There is no way out.

This is a really crazy story, but I do hope everyone involved can heal, especially the children.

It would have been difficult in a uniformly religious country (Carlo Ponti could not divorce his first wife for Sophia Loren for years, but it finally changed). However, I think that for Ryan, the situation was different. He was barely above the poverty level. Luckily for him, he lived in a small town where his relatives were located and where the inhabitants were supporting one another. (They seem to be nice people, his neighbors; he didn’t factor it in.)

He appears a guy with midlife crisis, big dreams but a small budget for it. If you can’t achieve in own village then moving to a big city instantly makes you a bankrupt. He’d be bankrupt in Milwaukee, so what did he expect from Batumi, Georgia? OK, maybe he and his ultra-religious wife were a bad match…then stop procreating, sorry! Tell her that you don’t think the marriage was made for life, that you can’t support the family and don’t breed three kids if you don’t have the money to raise them. There is a huge question of responsibility for the kids, and he failed it.

If anything, Ryan could also count on the support from his father, mother and wife’s parents, it seems. I think he merely could not admit to everyone that he was a loser. Too proud to admit, but stealing from own family to support another woman somewhere else was OK. Cryptocurrency account both ways? Somewhat telling.

So he basically simulated death, “providing for his family this way”, and on the rest, he bought himself a 2.5-star tour to a country where dollar could stretch some (but not too long, given complex charges in Georgia. There are several articles about migration in Georgia. And btw, Georgia is Tier I in human trafficking).

But he wanted to have more kids? Start a family again? The woman probably hoped he’d take her out, because with a valid US passport, he could at least move her to a country in Europe that would have been an upgrade from Georgia. Theoretically, it could be the only way for her to use Ryan. I am passing no judgment of her, she comes across like a displaced person thinking of own kids, but he left her in a much worse situation than when he arrived.

 

[crhedBngr]

Thanks, @Vaderman .

Interesting article.

JMVHO.

 

[OneLove]

How did he explain wanting to surgically reverse his vasectomy to his wife? The only reasonable explanation is "hey honey, let's have more kids". Really? Then did they NOT use contraceptive after that surgery but before he absconded like a theif in the night? What if he had left her pregnant?

Since we now know his eastern-bloc sizzler KNEW he was married and KNEW he was planning to fake his death, did she know he was reversing his vasectomy for new kids with her?

I can't get put of my mind that he said of the $20,000.00 (that he stole from his wife and kids) that the new sizzler he'd never before seen in person (lol) had basically a higher more worthy use for that $20,000.000. Thats some high priced you-know-what. I wonder how many "true loves" she's fleeced for $20,000.00, even talking them into faking their deaths to steal their families' assets?

In this country, would her advance knowledge of his plans to committ these multiple crimes net criminal charges against her for complicity?

 

[Charlot123]

How did he explain wanting to surgically reverse his vasectomy to his wife? The only reasonable explanation is "hey honey, let's have more kids". Really? Then did they NOT use contraceptive after that surgery but before he absconded like a theif in the night? What if he had left her pregnant?

Since we now know his eastern-bloc sizzler KNEW he was married and KNEW he was planning to fake his death, did she know he was reversing his vasectomy for new kids with her?

I can't get put of my mind that he said of the $20,000.00 (that he stole from his wife and kids) that the new sizzler he'd never before seen in person (lol) had basically a higher more worthy use for that $20,000.000. Thats some high priced you-know-what. I wonder how many "true loves" she's fleeced for $20,000.00, even talking them into faking their deaths to steal their families' assets?

In this country, would her advance knowledge of his plans to committ these multiple crimes net criminal charges against her for complicity?

I would assume advance knowledge equals conspiracy, but she is in another country, and that country is not a EU member. She is probably not liable in her world, but scamming might prevent her from emigrating to the US or Canada, two countries directly involved. I don’t know about EU. Does a layover in Paris count? Was Interpol involved? Who knows.

Logically, my guess is, Katya’s plan was to fleece Ryan financially. An enamored guy living across-the-pond-and-the-sea sending her 20K for 8 months of “communication”, not too bad. One can only guess about the type of their “online” friendship, but we were not born yesterday, either. Or perhaps Katya hoped that he’d divorce his wife, marry her and bring her to the US. JMO, inspiring Ryan to fake own death and come to her was not the original plan. When she agreed, she likely expected him to bring more money and less family plans. lol. What she didn’t expect would be anyone at home to search for him for 54 days in the lake.

 

[CuriousDetective]

How did he explain wanting to surgically reverse his vasectomy to his wife? The only reasonable explanation is "hey honey, let's have more kids". Really? Then did they NOT use contraceptive after that surgery but before he absconded like a theif in the night? What if he had left her pregnant?

Since we now know his eastern-bloc sizzler KNEW he was married and KNEW he was planning to fake his death, did she know he was reversing his vasectomy for new kids with her?

I can't get put of my mind that he said of the $20,000.00 (that he stole from his wife and kids) that the new sizzler he'd never before seen in person (lol) had basically a higher more worthy use for that $20,000.000. Thats some high priced you-know-what. I wonder how many "true loves" she's fleeced for $20,000.00, even talking them into faking their deaths to steal their families' assets?

In this country, would her advance knowledge of his plans to committ these multiple crimes net criminal charges against her for complicity?

I read in one of the articles linked on this thread that he told his wife he was having the vasectomy reversed due to being “in the 2% of cases that get pain from a vasectomy”.

 

[Megnut]

I read in one of the articles linked on this thread that he told his wife he was having the vasectomy reversed due to being “in the 2% of cases that get pain from a vasectomy”.

He's a bigger pain them in his vasectomy.

Blew up his own world, he did.

JMO

 

[airportwoman]

Having your husband die makes people flock for support. Having a divorce... usually makes people keep their distance, especially in religious areas. Reminds me of the saying about how it is the wrong way around that we gather the family and frinds for marrying and not divorce. Also it shows how stigmatized being divorced still is, especially for women.

Emily had filed for separation on the advice of a lawyer friend who worried that she might be affected by any civil or criminal judgments against her husband, and they were now legally divorced. But to her, their vows were a different matter. “I’m a Christian and I believe strongly in marriage,” she said.

Maybe he really did think that she would not divorce him no matter what?

As for divorce being stigmatized, especially for women, at least in my neck of the woods, that sure isn't true. Nowadays, it seems that when a woman is getting a divorce, whether everyone saw it coming or not, everyone basically throws confetti at her. I've even seen posts, and letters to advice columnists, that purported to be from women who were divorcing, and they were NOT happy about it. Or they knew it was necessary, because neither of them were happy, that kind of thing, but they didn't think it was anything to celebrate.

Whatever happened, I'm at least glad he didn't annihilate his family first.

 

[sunspun]

I read in one of the articles linked on this thread that he told his wife he was having the vasectomy reversed due to being “in the 2% of cases that get pain from a vasectomy”.

Oh puhleeze!

 

[caradana]

That Atlantic article is astonishing - so worth the read - for many reasons.
“You can stop looking for him in the lake,” said the Canadian. Months later. WOW!

 

[AndrewM71]

So he was sentenced on August 27 of this year - 89 days to commence within 60 days. Can anyone confirm that he’s still in jail? I assume he wouldn’t serve the full 89, likely closer to 60.

 

[Charlot123]

Maybe he really did think that she would not divorce him no matter what?

As for divorce being stigmatized, especially for women, at least in my neck of the woods, that sure isn't true. Nowadays, it seems that when a woman is getting a divorce, whether everyone saw it coming or not, everyone basically throws confetti at her. I've even seen posts, and letters to advice columnists, that purported to be from women who were divorcing, and they were NOT happy about it. Or they knew it was necessary, because neither of them were happy, that kind of thing, but they didn't think it was anything to celebrate.

Whatever happened, I'm at least glad he didn't annihilate his family first.

Honestly, no one can prevent a person from getting a divorce in a secular country.

The problem is, Ryan was a total financial loser. This with living where he was born and raised. He had the community supporting him, his mom’s and dad’s families, his wife’s family, his wife and kids…and was totally going downhill financially. A divorce is not possible given the situation. Another woman is not possible, either.

So call it a fugue - when people disappear, leave all their lives behind and start anew. Only it was a nasty fugue because he put his family in a horrible situation.

The fact that his older son was barely talking to him?

I understand the guy. It usually happens to fathers who are “bad providers”. Some are bad providers but great dads, but if Ryan was spending all days in his shop, not spending quality time with the children and bringing home no money, what’s there to expect? His kids can’t afford the things they need, and it doesn’t foster respect to the dad.

I strongly believe that in our day and age, both spouses should be working. Life is too insecure. But - you can’t demand a mother raising three kids to work. So Ryan should have planned his family better. Either “I don’t have any marketable skills so my spouse has to work, too. Hence, one kid is the maximum”. Or “I have to get really good marketable skills”. Or if she disagrees and says that she wants to be a stay at home mom only, and he knows that he can’t support “a traditional family”, then get the divorce before you have four people to support.

ETA: in our day and age, ten years younger, he’d be in the group of guys complaining online that he can’t find a woman because they are golddiggers. He’d be probably living with the parents and it is true, no woman would need an immature, financially insecure guy. The reason he ended up in a different situation - married, with own house, a wife and a family, is because he never moved away from his town. And, because he attended his church.

So, I am a secular person, but let us be honest, having a support group and own community helps. In a big city, he’d be declared dead, case closed, and who cares what dangerous situation he’d get into, and where? And his family would have to move in with the wife’s parents because he stole from them.

Blaming his wife for being religious or not talking to him is unfair - the only reason he has a wife is because he never moved away from the tiny community he grew up in. And he is lucky that she wants to stay by the marriage given what he’s done to her and the kids.

 

[airportwoman]

It sounds like this guy has been a troublemaker for a very long time.

https://werc.wi.gov/grievance_awards/7601.pdf

 

[Charlot123]

I just found this older article. Katya is a Ukrainian living in Tbilisi, it says. Ryan Bogwardt met her on a dating site. He planned to apply for Georgian citizenship because life there was cheaper but didn’t know how to do it because he was…well, dead?

Wisconsin kayaker who faked his death and fled overseas says plan was a 'crazy, emotional dream'

Ryan Borgwardt left his family behind in an attempt to meet a Ukrainian woman he had secretly been courting online in the country of Georgia. He was later convicted of obstruction.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[AndrewM71]

It sounds like this guy has been a troublemaker for a very long time.

https://werc.wi.gov/grievance_awards/7601.pdf

That’s pretty funny. It’s an unsupervised job - you just have to show up, do the bare minimum and not p*** anyone off by being an idiot. He had trouble with two of those requirements, particularly the third.

 

[sunspun]

That’s pretty funny. It’s an unsupervised job - you just have to show up, do the bare minimum and not p*** anyone off by being an idiot. He had trouble with two of those requirements, particularly the third.

Yes, it was comical to read that! And you're right, he failed in such a simple job to the point that they terminated him basically with no notice. But he appealed and was awarded about $5,000 for his troubles!

So I guess he was very lucky it was a union job! The Union has it's workers' backs! Bet he thanked God for the union that day! lol

 

[Seattle1]

So he was sentenced on August 27 of this year - 89 days to commence within 60 days. Can anyone confirm that he’s still in jail? I assume he wouldn’t serve the full 89, likely closer to 60.

I understood the Judge ordered him to serve 89 days-- more than recommended by the prosecution! According to Vinelink, it appears he started out on 9/28/25 in Green Lake County Jail at 6:10 AM:

Custody Status Date Sep 28, 2025 06:13 AM CDT
Custody StatusIn Custody
Custody Detail GREEN LAKE COUNTY JAIL
Book Date Sep 28, 2025 06:10 AM CDT

But he's status was soon changed to "unsupervised custody" with the Outagamie County Sheriff's Office:

Custody Status Date Sep 28, 2025 02:11 PM CDT
Custody Status Unsupervised Custody
Custody Detail Electronic Monitoring
Book Date Sep 28, 2025 07:56 AM CDT

RYAN A BORGWARDT​

Custody Record
Age46
Gender Male
Race White

https://vinelink.vineapps.com/person-detail/offender/50507738;tabIndexToSelect=0

 

[airportwoman]

Yes, it was comical to read that! And you're right, he failed in such a simple job to the point that they terminated him basically with no notice. But he appealed and was awarded about $5,000 for his troubles!

So I guess he was very lucky it was a union job! The Union has it's workers' backs! Bet he thanked God for the union that day! lol

They probably basically paid him to go away.