AfterTheClip

fraud · Green Lake, Wisconsin

Wisconsin Man Who Faked Drowning Sentenced to Jail, Paid Restitution

What happened?

Convicted

Ryan Borgart, who faked his own drowning in Green Lake, Wisconsin, in August 2024, was sentenced in August 2025 to 89 days in county jail and ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution after pleading no contest to obstructing an

8 sourcesBy AfterTheClip Desk · Last checked Jul 29, 2026

By AfterTheClip Research

Sources: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; FOX6 News Milwaukee

Timeline

  1. Ryan Borgart, 45, faked his own drowning in Green Lake, Wisconsin, by overturning his kayak.

  2. Ryan Borgwardt stages a boating fatality on Big Green Lake and flees the country.

  3. Borgart's wife reported him missing to the Dodge County Sheriff's Office, initiating a 54-day search.

  4. Borgart willingly returned to Wisconsin, turned himself in to police, and was booked into a correctional facility.

  5. The divorce between Ryan Borgart and Emily Borgwardt was finalized.

  6. Borgwardt is sentenced to 89 days in jail and ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution after pleading no contest to obstructing an officer.

  7. Borgart pleaded no contest to obstructing an officer and was sentenced to 89 days in county jail.

  8. Newly released interrogation videos showed Ryan Borgart explaining his actions to police.

  9. The Wisconsin DNR announces that $9,000 of the restitution funds were used to purchase a new towfish sonar system.

What people are asking

Who is Ryan Borgart's wife?

Ryan Borgart's wife was identified as Emily Borgwardt. She filed for legal separation/divorce two days after his return to the United States in December 2024, and their divorce was finalized in April 2025.

What was the outcome for Ryan Borgart?

Ryan Borgart pleaded no contest to one misdemeanor count of obstructing an officer. He was sentenced to 89 days in county jail and ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution to state and local authorities, which he paid.

Was Ryan Borgart's story made into a TV series?

There is no public reporting indicating Ryan Borgart's story was made into a TV series. However, interrogation videos of him explaining his actions to police were released in September 2025.

Who was the woman Ryan Borgart met in Georgia?

The specific identity of the woman Ryan Borgart met online in the country of Georgia is not detailed in public reporting.

Receipts

How we researched this & corrections

Information was gathered from multiple news reports covering the incident, investigation, and court proceedings, with follow-up findings providing more recent and specific details.

  • Jul 29, 2026 — The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced on July 15, 2026, that it utilized approximately $9,000 of the $30,000 in court-ordered restitution paid by Ryan Borgwardt to purchase a new towfish sonar system. Borgwardt, who previously pleaded no contest to obstructing an officer after faking his death on Big Green Lake in 2024, was ordered to pay the restitution to cover the costs of the extensive search for him. The new sonar equipment, which maps lake bottoms to locate missing persons and underwater hazards, has already been deployed on four missions and assisted in locating two missing individuals.

Spot something wrong? Corrections: corrections@aftertheclip.com.

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