In August last year, Ryan Borgwardt disappeared during a fishing trip at Green Lake in Wisconsin, sparking an extensive search operation that lasted for weeks.
His car, kayak, and personal belongings were found, but his body was nowhere to be found.
However, three months later, authorities received a shocking update when Borgwardt sent a video proving he was alive.
It emerged that he had fled to Europe to be with a woman he met online.
Borgwardt was eventually extradited back to the US and charged with obstructing an officer.
Elaborate Deception
Borgwardt’s deception was meticulous, involving the overturning of his kayak, paddling back to shore with an inflatable raft, riding a bike, and then catching a bus to Canada.
He eventually made his way to the eastern European country of Georgia.
In court, Borgwardt expressed deep regret for his actions, which caused immense pain to his family and friends.
He agreed to pay $US30,000 in restitution to cover the costs of the search operation.
Judge’s Verdict
Green Lake County Circuit Judge Mark Slate imposed a sentence longer than the 45 days requested by prosecutors, citing the need for a deterrent to others who might consider faking their own death and obstructing law enforcement.
“The defendant’s actions required the sheriff’s department to expend resources to search for him, and the longer he was complicit instead of coming forward and admitting his mistake, the longer the penalty should be,” Judge Slate said.