Authorities detail arrest of Wisconsin kayaker who fled to Europe

Borgwardt was initially presumed dead after his overturned kayak was found in Green Lake last August, but investigators later revealed he had faked his death.

HE WAS THEN BOOKED INTO THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY AND IS AWAITING HIS INITIAL COURT APPEARANCE. AND WHEN MY PRESS CONFERENCES. I SAID, COULD BE A REALLY GOOD CHRISTMAS. I WANT TO SAY THANKS AGAIN TO KEITH CORMACK OF BRUCE’S LEGACY. DIVER CHARLIE DEGROAT. THE WISCONSIN DNR AMY LU CIC, HOMELAND SECURITY, THE FBI. THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE DIVISION, CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, THE GREEN LAKE COUNTY AND THE GREEN LAKE COUNTY COMMUNITY. THE WATERTOWN COMMUNITY. BUT MOST OF ALL, THE GREEN LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. THEY’RE THE ONES THAT KEPT THIS GOING. I COULDN’T BE MORE PROUD OF THEM, OF WHAT THEY DID FOR A FAMILY. WE DIDN’T GIVE UP. AND WE CAN STAND HERE TODAY FEELING RELIEVED. AND I HAVE ONE OF MY DETECTIVES HERE, DETECTIVE JEREMIAH HANSEN, WHO PLAYED A BIG KEY. AND MY CHIEF DEPUTY CHIEF MATT VANDERKOLK. THAT STUCK WITH ME. AND WE HAD A GREAT OUTCOME. AND THERE’S ONE MORE THING I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO, AND THAT IS TO YOU FOLKS, THE MEDIA. YOU TAKE SOME WRAPS SOMETIMES. ALL RIGHT. BUT THROUGH THIS WHOLE CASE, YOU WERE VERY GOOD PARTNERS WITH US. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? SHERIFF? I KNOW THE LAST TIME YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU KNEW HE WAS SOMEWHERE IN EASTERN EUROPE, BUT WERE UNSURE EXACTLY WHERE. HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE WHERE HE WAS AND WHO HE WAS WITH AT THIS TIME? WE’RE STILL PUTTING THAT TOGETHER. SO I CAN’T RELEASE THAT YET. IT SHOULD. COOPERATING WITH YOU GUYS, HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK WITH HIM IN PERSON? HE’S COOPERATED WITH US. HE CAME BACK TO THE UNITED STATES. HAVE YOU DO YOU KNOW IF HE’S HAD ANY CONTACT WITH HIS WIFE AND KIDS SINCE THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE HERE LAST MONTH? YEAH, I CAN’T RELEASE. CAN YOU DETAIL HOW HE RETURNED BACK TO THE UNITED STATES? CAN YOU DETAIL THE STEP BY STEP PROCESS OF HOW HE GOT BACK HERE? I GOT ON AN AIRPLANE AND LANDED IN THE UNITED STATES. WERE THERE ANY OTHER AGENCIES INVOLVED IN THAT? NO. GETTING HIM HERE. WHAT COUNTRY WAS HE IN THAT HE FLEW FROM? I CAN’T RELEASE THAT. DID HE COME WILLINGLY, SHERIFF? YEAH. HAVE YOU SAID W

Authorities detail arrest of Wisconsin kayaker who fled to Europe

Borgwardt was initially presumed dead after his overturned kayak was found in Green Lake last August, but investigators later revealed he had faked his death.

Ryan Borgwardt, the Wisconsin kayaker who allegedly faked his death last August, voluntarily returned to the United States and was taken into custody at the Green Lake County Jail, officials revealed on Wednesday.While specific details about Borgwardt’s location abroad remain undisclosed, the sheriff confirmed that the 45-year-old Watertown resident cooperated with authorities and returned to the U.S. by plane.Initially presumed dead after his kayak was found overturned in Green Lake last August, investigators later determined Borgwardt had orchestrated an elaborate scheme to fake his death. Evidence revealed he had moved money to foreign banks, purchased airline gift cards, and obtained a life insurance policy before his disappearance.Authorities discovered Borgwardt’s passport had been used in Canada on Aug. 13, just one day after he was reported missing. The investigation also uncovered communications between Borgwardt and a woman in Uzbekistan, leading investigators to believe he had fled to Eastern Europe.

GREEN LAKE COUNTY, Wis. —

Ryan Borgwardt, the Wisconsin kayaker who allegedly faked his death last August, voluntarily returned to the United States and was taken into custody at the Green Lake County Jail, officials revealed on Wednesday.

While specific details about Borgwardt’s location abroad remain undisclosed, the sheriff confirmed that the 45-year-old Watertown resident cooperated with authorities and returned to the U.S. by plane.

Initially presumed dead after his kayak was found overturned in Green Lake last August, investigators later determined Borgwardt had orchestrated an elaborate scheme to fake his death.

Evidence revealed he had moved money to foreign banks, purchased airline gift cards, and obtained a life insurance policy before his disappearance.

Authorities discovered Borgwardt’s passport had been used in Canada on Aug. 13, just one day after he was reported missing.

The investigation also uncovered communications between Borgwardt and a woman in Uzbekistan, leading investigators to believe he had fled to Eastern Europe.