According to reports from the AP, the 45-year-old father of three, who allegedly confessed to faking his own death and fleeing the country, was taken into custody at the Green Lake County Jail on Tuesday. This important update was made public through the Victim Information and Notification Everyday system, which provides critical information regarding an individual’s custody status, highlighting the complexities surrounding his case.

Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll confirmed during a press conference that Borgwardt returned to the United States via airplane on December 10. He was subsequently booked into a correctional facility and is currently awaiting his initial court appearance, marking a pivotal moment in this ongoing saga.

While no specific charges have been disclosed yet, Sheriff Podoll indicated that the recommendations for charging may include obstruction, reflecting the serious nature of the allegations against Borgwardt.

Podoll remarked that Borgwardt has been cooperative during this process and returned to the United States of his own volition. However, he did not confirm whether Borgwardt had reestablished contact with his family. “I can only imagine how they feel,” he expressed regarding Borgwardt’s family, “we brought a dad back on his own accord,” emphasizing the emotional weight of the situation.

Borgwardt’s disappearance raised alarm bells after he went kayaking on Green Lake on August 12, igniting a frantic search effort.

Initially, deputies responded to a missing persons report, and upon investigation, they discovered Borgwardt’s vehicle and trailer. Approximately one hour after the alarm was raised, authorities found a capsized kayak in a section of the lake known for its depth of about 220 feet, creating concerns for his safety and triggering extensive search operations.

The following day, fishermen stumbled upon Borgwardt’s fishing rod in the same lake, further intensifying the mystery surrounding his disappearance. Soon after, his tackle box was also recovered, which contained personal items such as his wallet, keys, and driver’s license, adding to the puzzling circumstances of his case.

On August 24, search efforts escalated as a team of divers and search dogs were deployed to locate Borgwardt, who had last communicated with his wife and children on August 11, highlighting the urgency of the situation.

A volunteer search-and-recovery group called Bruce’s Legacy also conducted a 28-day search for the missing man, but unfortunately, their efforts yielded no results, leaving family and authorities in despair.

Things took a dramatic turn on October 7, when Sheriff Mark Podoll announced that the investigation had to “take a different course” after discovering that Borgwardt’s name had been checked by Canadian law enforcement on August 13, just one day after he was reported missing, as reported by WBAY.

Investigators then dug deeper and found that Borgwardt had allegedly reported his passport missing and obtained a replacement on May 22, which raised further suspicions regarding his intentions prior to the disappearance.

Additional investigations revealed that Borgwardt’s laptop contained evidence indicating he had taken photographs of his passport, transferred funds to a foreign bank, changed his email, and communicated with a woman in Uzbekistan leading up to his disappearance. Notably, he also secured a $375,000 life insurance policy in January and purchased airline tickets, suggesting premeditated actions before vanishing.

In late November, Sheriff Podoll held a press conference where he confirmed that his department had established contact with Borgwardt through a Russian-speaking intermediary, indicating a significant development in the case.

Authorities shared a video with proof of life sent by Borgwardt, in which he appeared in a modest home wearing a t-shirt, stating, “Good evening, it’s Ryan Borgwardt. The date is November 11. I’m in my home. I’m safe, I’m secure.” This video was a critical piece of evidence confirming his well-being, albeit leaving many questions unanswered.

The video can be viewed at the 6:30 mark below:

“This is great news. The good news is he is still alive,” Podoll stated during the press conference. “The bad news is we don’t know exactly where Ryan is, and he has not yet decided to come home.” His remarks underscored the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Borgwardt’s situation.

According to the Sheriff, they have maintained “almost daily communications” with Borgwardt, asserting that he and one of their deputies have developed a “fairly good relationship.” He further noted that Borgwardt detailed the elaborate plan he executed to orchestrate his disappearance.

Podoll explained that Borgwardt revealed he “stashed” an E-bike near the boat launch, paddled his kayak, and a small child-sized inflatable boat onto the lake. After allegedly capsizing the kayak, he discarded his phone into the lake and used the inflatable boat to reach the shore. From there, he rode the E-bike throughout the night to Madison, where he took a bus to Detroit, crossed into Canada, and boarded a plane, outlining an intricate escape plan.

“We are continuing to verify this information, trying to connect the dots,” Podoll stated. “However, we feel that this was Ryan’s way of informing the entire country about how he accomplished it,” revealing the complexities of the investigation.

“In our communications, we are stressing the importance of his decision to return home and resolve the situation he has created,” the sheriff emphasized. “Our main concern is that he safely returns to US soil. He must come back to his children. If he chooses not to return, it is his own free will, but the message is very clear,” illustrating the emotional stakes involved.

Podoll stated that no warrants have been issued for Borgwardt, suggesting that authorities do not believe any will be necessary if he cooperates and returns home. He also mentioned that authorities are seeking restitution for the expenses incurred during the search efforts, which they estimate exceed $40,000, highlighting the financial implications of the case.

“Christmas is approaching,” Podoll added. “And what better gift could your children receive than having you there for Christmas?” His statement underscores the emotional urgency for Borgwardt to return to his family during the holiday season.