US man fakes kayaking death, pockets RM1.7m life insurance, flees to Europe leaving wife and three kids

WASHINGTON, Nov 14 — A US man by the name of Ryan Borgwardt, who went missing in August while kayaking, is alive and well in Europe, authorities from his home town in Green Lake, Wisconsin alleged

According to the BBC, Borgwardt, 45, was last seen on August 12 at Green Lake during a solo fishing trip, and his family reported him missing after he failed to return home.

A search-and-rescue operation found his capsized kayak, life jacket, and personal items, but the father-of-three’s body was never recovered, prompting authorities to widen their investigation.

In October, investigators discovered Borgwardt’s name had been flagged by Canadian border officials on August 13, the day after he was reported missing.

Further investigation revealed that Borgwardt had reported his passport lost or stolen, and had received a new one before his disappearance, suggesting he may have used it to travel abroad.

A digital forensic analysis of Borgwardt’s laptop uncovered that he had taken out a US$375,000 (RM1.7 million) life insurance policy, transferred money to a foreign bank account, and altered his email address before vanishing.

Authorities also found that Borgwardt had replaced his laptop’s hard drive and cleared his browser history on the day of his disappearance.

The sheriff’s office believes Borgwardt may be in Eastern Europe and is continuing to investigate the case, including potential charges of fraud and obstruction.