# 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:** 13
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/241 "2013-01-22T06:40:22Z")
I gotta admit my interest in this story went from 100 to zero pretty fast. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/242 "2013-01-23T20:02:18Z")
> [@CoolHandCox](#): > > I’m hoping this thread dies, but Te’o will be interviewed by Katie Couric Thursday. Better learn a Supreme Court case. [Fansided.com](http://Fansided.com) has a sneak preview… And in the interview, which is set to air Thursday, Te’o gives us a little more of the same: he lied about the hoax. Not in the sense some people were hoping, but in the sense that he was suspicious about the hoax from the start but pretended like he was sleeping in the same bedroom as Lennay Kekua every night. He also tells Couric that when he found out about the hoax, he continued to lie about it because he didn’t know what else to do. [http://fansided.com/2013/01/23/manti-teo-tells-katie-couric-he-lied-about-hoax-again/](http://fansided.com/2013/01/23/manti-teo-tells-katie-couric-he-lied-about-hoax-again/) ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/243 "2013-01-23T20:08:59Z")
The timeline given by [abc.com](http://abc.com) (and I’m sure other sources) answers all of my questions as far as Manti is concerned. The person that should really be interviewed is the hoaxer and possibly the Arizona FB who claims to have legitimately met her. All I really want to know from Teo is why he committed his love so quickly and without talking to her (seems most of the interaction was via twitter and fb). ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/244 "2013-01-23T20:29:08Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](#): > > 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. Especially since his is only with her in two photos and in one he is sitting on another man’s lap… ---
**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 24, 2013, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/245 "2013-01-24T00:50:12Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > All I really want to know from Teo is why he committed his love so quickly and without talking to her (seems most of the interaction was via twitter and fb). He talked to “her” a lot. Don’t forget the phone calls…lots of phone calls. Article: [Phone Records Support Manti Claims](http://tracking.si.com/2013/01/23/manti-teo-phone-records/) (bolding mine): > [@](#): > > **The records show** that in that four-month span — when Te’o has said he believed Lennay Kekua to be in a Los Angeles hospital, recovering from an accident and being treated for cancer — **Te’o made and received more than 1,000 calls totaling more than 500 hours in length** from the same number in the 661 area code. The 661 area code covers Lancaster, which is part of Los Angeles County. The source told Schaap that Te’o believed the 661 phone number in question was Kekua’s. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/246 "2013-01-24T03:57:11Z")
Whoever was behind the hoax must have mental problems to spend that much time on something like this. 1 or 2 calls, could be funny (depending on how it’s done, good natured prank of a friend type of thing) 1,000 calls? wtf? ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/247 "2013-01-24T14:42:17Z")
The amount of effort put forth for, apparently, no material gain is mind boggling. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/248 "2013-01-24T15:02:52Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > Whoever was behind the hoax must have mental problems to spend that much time on something like this. > > 1 or 2 calls, could be funny (depending on how it’s done, good natured prank of a friend type of thing) > > 1,000 calls? wtf? Over four months, that’s like eight calls a day. 500 hours is like 20% of the total time in 4 months. I’m not sure that even counts as a hoax anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/249 "2013-01-24T15:04:13Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > The amount of effort put forth for, apparently, no material gain is mind boggling. Nor the stupidity of a man who fell for it, and then lied about it. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/250 "2013-01-24T15:04:16Z")
Only if you think the only point was to mess with him, and that may have been how it started. I suspect the prankster evolved it into a blackmail scheme, expecting the about-to-be-wealthy Te’o to be willing to pay to avoid embarrassment. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/251 "2013-01-24T15:07:18Z")
[So it’s coming out that Te’o was on the phone with Tuiasosopo all that time.](http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8875990/lawyer-ronaiah-tuiasosopo-was-voice-talking-manti-teo) There was no woman. When the volume of phone calls was reported yesterday I was wondering how this worked- if Te’o had been on the phone with an actual woman (like Donna Tei) for hundreds of hours it would have meant she was committing way, way more time to this hoax than Tuiasosopo was. This is simpler I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/252 "2013-01-24T15:12:53Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Only if you think the only point was to mess with him, and that may have been how it started. I suspect the prankster evolved it into a blackmail scheme, expecting the about-to-be-wealthy Te’o to be willing to pay to avoid embarrassment. Doesn’t seem to be any evidence for this. The hoaxer never made any threats and never went after any of his other marks for money. And if he was going to blackmail T’eo, why bother pretending to still be Lennay when he contacted him again. I think someone was in love. The long calls don’t really make sense as a prank or even a blackmail plot. (and on preview, **Marley’s** link seems to support this). ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/253 "2013-01-24T15:45:24Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > [So it’s coming out that Te’o was on the phone with Tuiasosopo all that time.](http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8875990/lawyer-ronaiah-tuiasosopo-was-voice-talking-manti-teo) Draft day will be interesting - he’d be the first known gay in the NFL. Which teams would rather pass up the top linebacker in years than deal with that? On top of that, he’s going to have to be the meanest SOB in the league, both on and off the field - the Jackie Robinson approach won’t cut it in the shower room. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/254 "2013-01-24T15:53:12Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Draft day will be interesting - he’d be the first known gay in the NFL. Which teams would rather pass up the top linebacker in years than deal with that? On top of that, he’s going to have to be the meanest SOB in the league, both on and off the field - the Jackie Robinson approach won’t cut it in the shower room. Its not obvious that T’eo’s gay (though one suspects the hoaxer is ). The hoaxer’s lawyer says he mimicked a female voice and T’eo bought it. Not really sure how believable that is, but that’s the (current) story. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/255 "2013-01-24T15:59:10Z")
Whether he’s gay or not, he’s now going to be \*thought \*to be, which will still bring him just as much shit. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/256 "2013-01-24T15:59:13Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Draft day will be interesting - he’d be the first known gay in the NFL. Te’o is not gay. If he were, it would hardly have made sense for Tuiasasopo to send a female picture and identify himself as a woman. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/257 "2013-01-24T16:46:59Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Its not obvious that T’eo’s gay (though one suspects the hoaxer is ). The hoaxer’s lawyer says he mimicked a female voice and T’eo bought it. Not really sure how believable that is, but that’s the (current) story. It’s brought up in this article, out today: > **[Report: Tuiasosopo falsetto voice of Te'o girlfriend](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2013/01/24/manti-teo-ronaiah-tuiasosopo-milton-grimes-false-voice/1861023/)** > > The lawyer for the alleged scammer in Te'o hoax says client was the voice of girlfriend What I love best about this story is that there are 3 story highlights (the first of which makes no grammatical sense) accompanying a 193word story. Helpful for the people who clicked the link, but don’t have the one minute it takes to read the main article and needed a Cliff’s Notes version. God I love USA Today. Edited to add: in the space of me posting this, someone actually revised the first story highlight. Originally it read “Was alleged scammer in Te’o story pull even another hoax on the Notre Dame linebacker” ---
**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 24, 2013, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/258 "2013-01-24T19:06:45Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Its not obvious that T’eo’s gay (though one suspects the hoaxer is ). The hoaxer’s lawyer says he mimicked a female voice and T’eo bought it. Not really sure how believable that is, but that’s the (current) story. I’m sure we’ll eventually hear the “voice” (as it was, not the guy just talking now) and can judge ourselves. It’s different in hindsight, of course, but I’d bet it’s convincing. Another layer of embarrassment for Te’o. I wonder if this is news to him as well. ---
**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 24, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/259 "2013-01-24T19:19:17Z")
> [@CoolHandCox](#): > > I’m sure we’ll eventually hear the “voice” (as it was, not the guy just talking now) and can judge ourselves. It’s different in hindsight, of course, but I’d bet it’s convincing. > > Another layer of embarrassment for Te’o. I wonder if this is news to him as well. Couric’s site had voicemail audio posted earlier but it’s down now. I didn’t hear them, but according to people who did, they sounded very very much like a girl. ---
**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 24, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/260 "2013-01-24T20:30:30Z")
Not to make the thread boring, but this is potentially a crime. California Penal Code 528.5: [Credible impersonation of actual person on Internet Web site or other electronic means](http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=pen&group=00001-01000&file=528-539) > [@](#): > > …any person who knowingly and without consent credibly impersonates another actual person through or on an Internet Web site or by other electronic means for purposes of harming, intimidating, threatening, or defrauding another person is guilty of a public offense punishable by [fine up to $1,000 and/or up to one year in jail.] Let’s walk thru it. Knowingly = yes, Hoaxer knew he was tricking Te’o and without consent = girl in picture says she had no idea. credibly impersonates another actual person = “Lennay” was fake, but girl in picture was a real person, not sure how that works. Also, did hoaxer _credibly_ impersonate her. Likely, but I still think a lot of people can’t think how someone would fall for this (ie, not credible). on a website, ect. = yes for purpose of Harming = possible. Not sure what harm means here - mental? physical? Making someone grieve? or Intimidating = doubtful or Threatening = doubtful or Defrauding = Te’o stated no. another person = Te’o. so, yes. So, was it credible and did it harm. Worth investigating I would think. Harm/Credible element is likely why hoaxers lawyer is pushing just a joke - it’s Hollywood, man. Can anyone think of why this law wouldn’t apply. It says effective Jan 1, 2011. Am I missing something obvious? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424.md?page=14)