American faked his own death for the sake of a new life with a mistress from Uzbekistan (4 photos)
Last August, Ryan Borgwardt went kayaking on a lake and disappeared. The 45-year-old's wife and three children thought he had drowned, but he hadn't. 
On August 11, 2024, Ryan texted his wife that he was paddling Green Lake in Wisconsin and heading for shore. Rescuers found his overturned kayak and life jacket shortly after.
In reality, the man swam to shore on an inflatable boat, rode an electric bike all night to Madison, then took a bus to Detroit. From there, he headed to the Canadian border, where he boarded a plane and fled the country. 
In October, investigators learned of his affair with a woman from Uzbekistan. On the day of his disappearance, Borgwardt researched how to get a new passport and life insurance policy, and then cleared his browser history.
The fugitive settled with his new passion in Georgia, but in November he was forced to return to his homeland and appear in court. 
"I deeply regret the actions I took that night and the pain I caused my family and friends," Borgwardt said.
His attorney, Eric Johnson, said, "He came back from Europe to take responsibility for his actions. That's important. He committed a non-extradition offense. But he came back voluntarily and he's willing to make amends." 
Borgwardt has agreed to pay $30,000 to the Green Lake County Sheriff's Office and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for investigating his "death."
District Attorney Jeriz Laspisa added, "The defendant thought the lake was too deep to float the body. What he didn't count on was the response and dedication of the Green Lake County community and the relentless determination of our law enforcement."
