(GREEN LAKE, Wis.) — Ryan Borgwardt, the husband and father of three who authorities said faked his own death at a Wisconsin lake and fled the country, is speaking to police but isn’t revealing where he is, the local sheriff said.
When authorities reached Borgwardt on Nov. 11, they asked him questions only he would know and asked him to film a video of himself, Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll said at a news conference Thursday.
In the selfie-style video, which was played at the news conference, Borgwardt said the date was Nov. 11 and he was safe.
Authorities believe he in Eastern Europe, Podoll said.
“We do not know where Ryan exactly is,” the sheriff said. “He has not yet decided to return home.”
“We’ve had nearly daily communications with Ryan,” the sheriff said.
Borgwardt has not spoken to his wife or children, Podoll said.
The mysterious case began on the night of Aug. 11, when Borgwardt last texted his wife. He told her he was turning his kayak around on Green Lake and was heading to shore soon, Podoll said.
The 45-year-old was reported missing the next day.
After Borgwardt’s overturned kayak and life jacket were discovered in the lake, responders believed the missing dad drowned, officials said.
Crews scoured the lake for weeks using divers, drones, sonar and cadaver K-9s, officials said.
The case took a turn in October when investigators discovered Borgwardt’s name had been checked by law enforcement in Canada on Aug. 13, the sheriff said.
Authorities also learned Borgwardt had been communicating with a woman from Uzbekistan, the sheriff said.
Other behavior included clearing his browsers the day he disappeared, inquiries about moving funds to foreign banks, getting a new life insurance policy, obtaining a new passport and replacing his laptop hard drive, the sheriff said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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