Wisconsin DNR Turns Restitution From Kayaker Who Faked Death Into Life-Saving Sonar Gear
The $9,000 towfish has been deployed four times and found two missing people, the DNR said.
- On Wednesday, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced it purchased towfish sonar equipment using restitution funds from Ryan Borgwardt, a kayaker who faked his own death in 2024.
- Borgwardt staged a boating fatality on Big Green Lake in August 2024, then fled to Europe; a court ordered him to pay $30,000 in restitution for investigation costs after he pleaded no contest to obstructing police.
- The DNR spent about $9,000 on the towfish sonar, a device that maps lake bottoms to locate missing persons and hazards, reducing the need for risky human diver deployments in deep water.
- Within weeks of becoming operational, the towfish has been deployed on four missions and successfully located two missing people, demonstrating immediate public safety impact.
- DNR Marine Warden Adam Strehlow acknowledged the case was frustrating but called the equipment funding a "silver lining" that will help teams bring closure to families during future search and recovery operations.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Restitution from Wisconsin kayaker who faked death pays for new DNR search equipment
MADISON, Wis. — Money paid by the Wisconsin man who faked his death on Green Lake has been used to purchase new underwater search equipment that is already helping emergency responders locate missing people. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced that approximately $9,000 in restitution paid by Ryan Borgwardt was used to purchase a […] The post Restitution from Wisconsin kayaker who faked death pays for new DNR search equipment …
Wisconsin DNR uses restitution from man who faked his own death to buy sonar equipment
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has used restitution from a kayaker who faked his own death to buy new sonar equipment. The post Wisconsin DNR uses restitution from man who faked his own death to buy sonar equipment appeared first on WPR.
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