A 46-year-old Wisconsin cabinetmaker orchestrated an elaborate scheme to fake his own death and abandon his family, leaving behind desperate text messages from his unsuspecting wife.

According to Daily Mail, Ryan Borgwardt disappeared on August 11, 2024, after telling his wife Emily he was going kayaking to watch the northern lights on Green Lake. His carefully planned escape involved capsizing his kayak and secretly making his way to Georgia to meet a woman he had connected with online.

Emily's final texts to her husband revealed mounting tension in their relationship, as she expressed frustration about his frequent unexplained absences. Her message read "Nothing new. I should be used to it by now. So many nights I have no idea where you are when it's late."

Months of Secret Planning Revealed

The Green Lake County Sheriff's Office discovered that Borgwardt had been meticulously planning his disappearance since April 2024. He researched methods to fake his death while carrying approximately $205,000 in combined business and credit card debt.

Investigators found evidence that Borgwardt had been communicating with a Ukrainian woman named Katya through a dating website since December 2023. Their online relationship developed into something more serious over the following months.

After staging the kayaking incident, Borgwardt used an inflatable raft to return to shore and retrieved a hidden electric bike. He then embarked on a 70-mile overnight journey to Madison.

International Escape Route Uncovered

Following his departure from Madison, Borgwardt took a bus to Toronto before flying to Tbilisi, Georgia. His abandoned kayak triggered an extensive 50-day search operation in Green Lake.

During subsequent interviews with detectives, Borgwardt described his actions as a "crazy, emotional dream" stemming from feelings of failure and hopelessness. He cited marital problems and claimed his children had become distant.

The investigation revealed his ultimate goal was to be declared legally dead, enabling him to pursue Georgian citizenship under a new identity. However, he had not determined how to accomplish this final step.

Legal Consequences and Family Impact

Law enforcement officials used information from Borgwardt's abandoned laptop to establish email contact with him. Several months of communication eventually convinced him to return to Wisconsin.

In August 2025, Borgwardt entered a no-contest plea to obstruction charges and received an 89-day jail sentence. His marriage ended in divorce in May 2025, marking the final dissolution of the family he had left behind.

Emily Borgwardt's frantic morning-after texts, including messages like "Where are you????" and "Babe?" now stand as poignant reminders of a family blindsided by betrayal. Her husband's calculated deception has left lasting impacts on their three children and their shared community.

Aftermath of a Calculated Deception

The investigation exposed how Borgwardt's mounting financial pressures and online relationship led to his desperate attempt at starting a new life. His scheme involved extensive preparation, including researching death-faking methods and establishing contact with his Ukrainian girlfriend.

Law enforcement's ability to track Borgwardt through digital evidence ultimately brought closure to the case. The incident serves as a stark reminder of how personal crises and online relationships can lead to devastating family consequences.

The resolution of this case demonstrates the far-reaching impact of Borgwardt's actions on his family and community. His attempted escape from financial and personal problems resulted in criminal charges, imprisonment, and the destruction of his family relationships.