GREEN LAKE (NBC 26) — A Wisconsin man who faked his own death and fled to Europe to meet a Ukrainian woman he met online has been sentenced to 89 days in jail.

New details in case of Wisconsin man sentenced for faking death in kayak scheme to flee to Europe

Ryan Borgwardt's elaborate scheme began on August 11, 2024 in Green Lake, where he staged his disappearance by flipping his kayak over and using an inflatable boat to get to shore.

Late that night, Borgwardt texted his wife "I love you" before tossing his phone into the water of Green Lake.

"I did some research, how plausible is it, how deep does the water have to be for you to totally vanish," Borgwardt said.

This week the Green Lake Sheriff's Office released never-before-seen pictures, videos and files in connection to the case.

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