GREEN LAKE, Wis. (WBAY) – A TikTok video featuring a man who looks like a person accused of faking his own death in Green Lake County recently went viral.

Ryan Borgwardt, who went missing in August after failing to return home from a kayaking trip, may not have been missing after all, authorities announced Friday

It’s been a rollercoaster for Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll after he announced Friday that a “missing kayak” was never missing at all.

The twist in the investigation is getting national attention.

“You know we’re a small department. They say things don’t happen in Green Lake County, but they do Sheriff Podoll. “I never in my wildest dreams thought I would ever have something like this.”

During a news conference Friday, the sheriff’s office revealed that 45-year-old Ryan Borgwardt had faked his own death.

Authorities say a digital forensic analysis shows Borgwardt planned his disappearance in Europe and tried to hide those efforts, including being in contact with a woman in Uzbekistan.

Since Friday, numerous tips have come in about Ryan’s possible location, including a TikTok video filmed in June by a San Diego content creator.

This video was recorded at Pacific Beach in San Diego, California. Content creator Baylee Boomhower is seen in the video holding up a sign asking if anyone wanted free advice, when a man on a bicycle approached her with this question: “Should I go to Uzbekistan or stay here?”

When asked why, the man said, “To meet a woman.”

He also admits in the video that he is married.

The video which now has nearly 4.5 million views shows similar facial features to Ryan Borgwardt. In a phone interview with Action 2 News, Boomhower describes the interaction as bizarre.

She says the similarities between Borgwardt’s story and the person she spoke to in California raise questions.

“When I first heard that from the original video, I was just like, I’ve never heard of that place before, so it was a very strange parallel that the man who disappeared is also connected to Uzbekistan,” Boomhower said.

Boomhower informed law enforcement of its existence.

“Anything we can get, we’re certainly going through it and seeing if it helps us, but anyone with information please come forward,” Sheriff Podoll said.

The sheriff’s office says on its Facebook page that it believes the person in the video is not Borgwardt, but when asked in person Wednesday, they say they need to investigate further.

The Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation and the FBI are also working with the Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

In a statement sent to Action 2 News Caroline Clancy, public affairs officer for the Milwaukee FBI, wrote a quote: “The Milwaukee FBI is assisting in the investigation of Ryan Borgwardt in Green Lake County. The FBI routinely provides assistance to our law enforcement partners to provide additional manpower and specialized resources. For details about the investigation, please contact the Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office, which is the lead investigating agency. The FBI appreciates the strong collaboration with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners in Wisconsin.”

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