Ryan Borgwardt appears in court after returning to United States, faces obstruction charge

GREEN LAKE COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The missing kayaker who faked his own death and fled the country appeared in court Wednesday and then walked free.

Ryan Borgwardt was charged with obstructing an officer when he planted evidence to make it look like he was dead. 

Now, online records show he's no longer in custody. 

In court, Borgwardt was quiet and composed. He's facing just one charge connected to faking his own death. 

For the first time in months, Ryan Borgwardt was back home in Wisconsin. "I can't pay; I don't have money. So I'll defend myself," Borgwardt said. 

The district attorney argued Borgward was a flight risk and asked the judge for a cash bond and that Borgwardt surrender his passport. Borgward said he couldn't pay a cash bond. 

"I have $20 in my wallet in the other room," he said. "So that's what I have."

The judge ultimately issued a $500 signature bond, meaning Borgwardt only had to sign, and not pay, in order to be released. 

The sheriff's office confirmed Borgwardt arrived on US soil Dec. 10. He was then booked into the correctional facility before his initial court appearance.

Authorities say Borgwardt came back to the United States voluntarily. They say they are still putting together where he was, and who he was with.

They did not indicate where exactly Borgwardt came from, simply saying, he "got on an airplane and landed in the United States."

When asked what compelled Borgwardt to return, sheriff's officials said, "His family, I guess."

"We didn't give up," Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll said. "And we can stand here today feeling relieved."

The search for Ryan began after he went kayaking on Aug. 11 and never returned home.

After searching the lake for 54 days without finding his body, investigators asked Borgwardt's wife if they could check his laptop.

The story started to unravel when they found Borgwardt communicated with a woman from Uzbekistan and looked into moving money into foreign accounts.

They eventually got in touch with him overseas, and he sent them a video to prove he was safe.

From Europe, he admitted to investigators how he disappeared, saying he overturned the kayak and ditched his phone and wallet in the water. Then he rode a bike to Madison, where he hopped on a bus to Detroit. From there, he got into Canada using a second passport, then caught a flight to Europe.

This is a developing story. Stick with CBS 58 for updates on-air and online.