# Manti Te'o's Fake, Dead Girlfriend **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 16, 2013, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424 "2013-01-16T22:06:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/221 "2013-01-19T15:00:57Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > After listening to a recap of Jeremy Schapp’s interview with Te’o today, I believe that he was simply duped and had to play up the story. Until about 48 hours ago (from now) he still wasn’t 100% certain Lennay didn’t exist. He was psychologically attached to this fictional woman. > > Either that, or he is a pathological liar. So since those were the 2 options that existed before his interview, the interview changes nothing. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/222 "2013-01-19T15:13:48Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > Manti’s rebound was a[pretty attractive woman](http://www.tmz.com/photos/2013/01/18/manti-teo-alexandra-del-pilar-together-photos/#!/images/2013/01/18/manti-teo-alexandra-del-pilar-01-jpg), which should put to rest the “beard” theory. Not that I believe with certainty that Lennay was a beard, but photos of Manti with another woman do nothing to disprove any beard, because she could simply be a new one. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/223 "2013-01-19T15:16:37Z")
Sometimes a story just ends. He said his side and it’s credible. Time to move on to the next big thing. ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/224 "2013-01-19T15:31:25Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > Sometimes a story just ends. He said his side and it’s credible. Time to move on to the next big thing. I _believe_ his story, but he has offered very little in the way of proof. A 3-day-old face-saving message from his alleged co-conspirator isn’t especially convincing. Somehow I doubt this is settled. Especially after most people have already bought in to the narrative that he was in on it. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/225 "2013-01-19T18:33:28Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > He really needs to release a sex tape with his new girlfriend. That should make everyone happy 😃 Even better, with his old girlfriend. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/226 "2013-01-19T18:35:23Z")
> [@planetcory](#): > > I _believe_ his story, but he has offered very little in the way of proof. A 3-day-old face-saving message from his alleged co-conspirator isn’t especially convincing. > > Somehow I doubt this is settled. Especially after most people have already bought in to the narrative that he was in on it. What makes you think MOST people thought that? I certainly didn’t and several people in this thread didn’t think he was in on it, we just thought he was stupid and got caught up in a fake relationship without knowing it. ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/227 "2013-01-19T18:43:52Z")
> [@April\_R](#): > > What makes you think MOST people thought that? I certainly didn’t and several people in this thread didn’t think he was in on it, we just thought he was stupid and got caught up in a fake relationship without knowing it. I didn’t mean this thread. Most online commentary on this isn’t as rational as this thread. The mob is out with torches lit for this guy. I’m not even 100% convinced and yet I’m finding myself in debates arguing vehemently for his side. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/228 "2013-01-19T21:15:46Z")
Te’o’s father said they’re boycotting a Honolulu newspaper because it printed a photo of Manti getting embarrassed by Alabama’s tailback. Even before the girlfriend turned out to be faked, he was milking the storyline for all the publicity he could get, then continued for weeks after the reveal. He’s a diva. Combined with the poor play in his last game, and general weakness in coverage, I would be suprised if he goes in the first round. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/229 "2013-01-19T21:27:00Z")
> [@CoolHandCox](#): > > Other side of the story with plausible answers is out…close down the thread…no more fun. Andy Kaufman is sitting on a beach somewhere laughing his _ass off._ ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/230 "2013-01-20T05:30:43Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > People had their emotions manipulated, and fans organized support campaigns and donated money to charity in the fake dead girl’s name. Yeah, giving to charity is good anyway, but they did have some obligation to tell the truth about a story they had brought to the country’s attention. Agreed. However, it seemed so overboard, and this whole thing was partly ND’s fault. They played up the grandmother and girlfriend tragedies to hype him for the Heisman. > [@CoolHandCox](#): > > Other side of the story with plausible answers is out…close down the thread…no more fun. I don’t buy it. Not yet, anyway. I simply can’t believe this guy had nothing to do with it. He may have been duped at the very beginning, but this thing is too strange not to have his knowledge. It may have just snowballed out of his control. What amazes me is now no one bothered to check to see if this girl existed or was in school or anything… Just printed the stories as truth. And when ESPN gets ahold of a story like this, and repeates it 50 times a day, no one is going to check to see if she existed, or died, or anything. I think he got caught up in the lie and couldn’t figure a graceful way out of it. He didn’t think it through. He was the Heisman candidate on the number 1 team in the country, not a fourth string kicker from East Carolina. I think this costs him in the draft. I wouldn’t take him unless I was thoroughly convinced that his story is true, and that involves hiring a PI and interviewing him. ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/231 "2013-01-20T06:36:58Z")
Here’s an edited (but very long)[transcript of the Te’o Interview](http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8859544/highlights-manti-teo-interview-jeremy-schaap). There are many consistencies. He openly admits to lying and why. A lot of what he says can be verified by third parties (if journalist choose to or not, who knows). For instance, one, of many, reasons why Te’o believed her to be real: > [@](#): > > JEREMY SCHAAP: Now looking back at it, can you see how you were manipulated? > > MANTI TE’O: To be honest – to be honest with you, I thought it was natural. It seemed natural. It seemed like, even though I just met her, she knew a lot about me already. No red flags popped up. Initially when I started to talk to her, obviously, I didn’t see her yet, so I asked other people who knew of her and who had history with her, “Is this girl real?” And all of them said, “Yeah, she’s real.” So that kind of gave me confidence, that, yeah, I’m fine. > > JEREMY SCHAAP: Who are these people that you reached out to? > > MANTI TE’O: I reached out to my cousin and asked him. > > JEREMY SCHAAP: Your cousin who? > > MANTI TE’O: Shiloah, my first cousin. I asked him do you know this girl Lennay? And he said, “Yeah, I know this girl Lennay.” And I said, “Is she real?” And he said, “Oh, yeah, she’s real, bro, she’s real.” > > JEREMY SCHAAP: He knew her? > > MANTI TE’O: I guess he was in the same situation that I was in. He just didn’t talk to her. > > JEREMY SCHAAP: He was duped, as well? > > MANTI TE’O: I talked to a former Oregon State quarterback who used to talk to her, as well. Who used to talk to her, as well. > > JEREMY SCHAAP: Who was that.? > > MANTI TE’O: Lyle Moevao. I asked him, and I still have the messages from him. “Hey, do you know who this Lennay girl is.” He said “Yeah. I know her.” He was like: “What’s up?” I said, “We’re just talking.” He said, “I know her. She’s real, bro. She’s kind of weird. But she’s real.” He told his teammate/best friend and his girlfriend about the Dec. 6 call within days of receiving it - so he didn’t wait until Dec 26 to tell anyone (bolding mine): > [@](#): > > MANTI TE’O: So when I got back from the awards tour, right when I got back, I told Alex what happened. > > JEREMY SCHAAP: Your girlfriend? > > MANTI TE’O: Then I told Robby, my best friend, what happened. … T **he night of Dec. 10th, I told Alex and Robby** , and they both told me you should tell your parents. So I said, well, I’m going to try to figure this out, what the heck is going on. I said I’m going to try to figure it out myself. So eventually when she sent me that picture Dec. 21st, that confused the heck out of me. That’s when I kind of felt for the first time that this girl might be alive. That’s when I was like; OK, I’ve got to take this. I told my mom Dec. 24th, on Christmas Eve, and I told my dad on Christmas Day. He called my two uncles, close family friends, uncle Keith … they drove an hour to my house on Christmas night. That’s when they told us, the first thing you should do is notify Coach. That night, I called Coach Diaco first, early in the morning, it was like 5 in the morning South Bend time. And let him know about it. Then I called Coach Kelly. And before I talk to Coach Kelly, and Coach D already relayed the message to Coach Kelly … And it goes on and on like that. Enough third parties who can confirm or deny the story. Also, everyone who has spoken with him about it: ND Athletic Director, SI’s Pete Thamel, and ESPN’s Schaap all find Te’o convincing and believable. The one lie he told was re: him meeting her in Hawai’i one time. She said she was there, he went to meet her, it “couldn’t” happen. Later casually told his Dad that he did in fact meet her. Why? Teo: > [@](#): > > JEREMY SCHAAP: Do you think he would have been suspicious? > > MANTI TE’O: I wasn’t thinking as far as suspicion, I was thinking my dad would say, oh, operation shutdown. > > JEREMY SCHAAP: What do you mean? > > MANTI TE’O: He would just probably have said … I don’t support this relationship, and that’s a risk that I wasn’t willing to take at that time. > > JEREMY SCHAAP: Because you sought his approval? > > MANTI TE’O: Uh-huh. > > JEREMY SCHAAP: And you wouldn’t have continued the relationship if he had said that he didn’t like the way she was treating you? > > MANTI TE’O: No, I just knew that Dad would say – probably, yeah. I knew that Dad would probably be suspicious of it. And by him being suspicious of it, I didn’t want to risk the chance of me telling Dad that I didn’t meet her. His suspicion turned into him saying; OK, I would recommend you, you know, back away. > > … > > MANTI TE’O: That goes back to what I did with my dad. I knew that – I even knew that it was crazy that I was with somebody that I didn’t meet, and that alone people find out that this girl who died I was so invested in, and I didn’t meet her as well. So I kind of tailored my stories to have people think that, yeah, he met her before she passed away. So people wouldn’t think that I was some crazy dude. > > JEREMY SCHAAP: You knew this was crazy, so you said you met? > > MANTI TE’O: Exactly. > > JEREMY SCHAAP: So looking back on that now, was that a smart thing to do? > > MANTI TE’O: No, out of this whole thing, that is my biggest regret. And that is the biggest, I think, that’s from my point of view, that is a mistake I made. > > JEREMY SCHAAP: You were embarrassed? > > MANTI TE’O: Yes, I was. > > JEREMY SCHAAP: Why? > > MANTI TE’O: Because I knew that how everybody’s reacting now, I knew it was going to happen. So I chose to be less crazy, be looked at as less crazy as somebody who had total faith into this individual, who committed himself to this individual, who cared about this individual without even seeing her, to have done that without even seeing her, people would consider it crazy. He addressed the supposed meeting/hand shake in Stanford. Te’o denies. The reason we think it’s true is Eric Hanson from the South Bend Tribune wrote it (no quotes). He can confirm or deny through his notes. As I said before the interview, there’s just too much convincing info to think he had anything sinister to do with this. He’s a good kid that got hoaxed. His story can be checked out - hopefully it’s done. He’s owed at least that. ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/232 "2013-01-20T15:35:37Z")
Ok, until some crazy new bombshell happens, we can go with the fact that he was duped. Has a motive for the hoax been proposed? Hours every night for months is a big investment, for… What exactly? Just a lone weirdo playing some sort of umkay game to an audience of 1? But other people seemed to possibly be involved Step 1 : make a fake persona and fake a relationship by tricking a top college athlete by spending hours on the phone with him every night for months, with apparently at least 2 other people in on it Step 2. Fake your death Step 3. Resurrect yourself Step 4. Profit? Can’t wait to hear what Te’o’s cousin and Lyle Moevao have to say ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/233 "2013-01-20T16:42:10Z")
> [@Bootis](#): > > Ok, until some crazy new bombshell happens, we can go with the fact that he was duped. a new crazy bombshell is assured. and it will come from a very good liar. The key for me is is it verifiable by someone other than a hoaxer. > [@](#): > > Has a motive for the hoax been proposed? Hours every night for months is a big investment, for… What exactly? Just a lone weirdo playing some sort of umkay game to an audience of 1? But other people seemed to possibly be involved No clear motive, yet. Te’o states they never asked for money (did ask for his checking acct to send Te’o money). Te’o’s Uncle suggests they wanted money for a charity foundation. ND athletic director says it was just done for sport. So who knows, definitely no clear motive. Te’o states 3 people were involved in the hoax. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/234 "2013-01-20T17:37:37Z")
Everyone’s a Columbo on the internet. :rolleyes: Jesus people. There isn’t more to the story. Get a life and find somebody else to dissect. ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/235 "2013-01-20T18:31:54Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > Everyone’s a Columbo on the internet. :rolleyes: > > Jesus people. There isn’t more to the story. Get a life and find somebody else to dissect. Now why do you want people to stop talking about this so much? It’s one of the more crazy weird stories to come around, and this is a thread specifically to discuss it. And honestly, nothing stokes the fires of intrigue more than someone coming around with multiple posts declaring so definitively: case closed, nothing to see here, stop talking about it… ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/236 "2013-01-20T22:02:33Z")
Has there been any explanation given yet regarding that Arizona player that met her before Manti was in the picture? ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/237 "2013-01-20T22:49:51Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Has there been any explanation given yet regarding that Arizona player that met her before Manti was in the picture? Based on those excerpts, she was online friends with a few other players. Maybe he was one of them and conflated her with someone else he met. ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/238 "2013-01-20T23:19:20Z")
Or the AZ player really met a girl in person pretending to be Lennay. We don’t know. On Dec 21 Te’o got a picture from…I don’t even know how to phrase it, but from the girl that called on Dec 6 that was the same voice he knew to be Lennay. Te’o requested a specific picture (write these letters and date on paper throw it in air and take a picture, ect). The girl in picture was different from Teo’s Lennay, but it could be the Lennay that the AZ player met. I’m hoping this thread dies, but Te’o will be interviewed by Katie Couric Thursday. Better learn a Supreme Court case. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/239 "2013-01-21T00:13:53Z")
Sorry if I missed it - has anyone mention the small [tweet skirmish](http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/01/donald-trump-deadspin-manti-teo-story.html) between The Donald and Deadspin on this? ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/240 "2013-01-21T03:03:55Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > Everyone’s a Columbo on the internet. :rolleyes: > > Jesus people. There isn’t more to the story. Get a life and find somebody else to dissect. Let’s take it to the Pit if you want to call out those in this thread…otherwise, don’t threadshit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424.md?page=13)