Who is responsible for the hoax involving Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o

Not only who is responsible, but what consequences will they experience for perpetrating this hoax?

Manti Te'o insisted he had no role in the bizarre hoax involving his "dead" girlfriend and told ESPN on Friday night that he was duped by a person who has since apologized to him.

In an off-camera interview Friday with ESPN, Te'o said Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, a 22-year-old acquaintance who lives in California, contacted him two days ago and confessed to the prank. Deadspin.com first exposed the scheme on Wednesday and indicated Tuiasosopo was involved in it.

"I wasn't faking it," ESPN quoted Te'o as saying during the 2 1-2 hour interview. "I wasn't part of this. When they hear the facts they'll know. They'll know there is no way I could be a part of this."  (continue at AP)

This is a very weird story, but there is much that we do not know yet.  What I can't figure out is, if he was so in love with this girl, why did he not visit her, why did he not want to meet her in person?

Catfishing is a very dangerous thing, and I believe those who perpetrate these events should be prosecuted.

A catfish is someone who pretends to be someone they're not using Facebook or other social media to create false identities, particularly to pursue deceptive online romances.

More.

Comments

[R.J. Godlewski]

This reminds me of the "Tuttle" episode of M*A*S*H where Hawkeye and Trapper create a fictitious officer to provide supplies to a local orphanage.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0638468/

Before long, his character becomes so important that Henry and the other officers "remember" having breakfast with him and being "good friends".

Now I hear that several pro players mention that they had actually met Te'o's girlfriend. This thing is snowballing and I only blame the inability of young people today to differentiate between reality and social networking artificiality.

[Debbie]

R.J.

I remember that, long time ago. They didn't have internet, email, FaceBook, etc. back then either.

[(Rhino!) CBPO Jon A Underwood, CBP, Ret.]

Manti,

Do you expect us to think that You or anyone, would converse with someone for so long on computer, on the phone and you never went to visit her or the reverse?

Never Skyped, and she supposedly dies and you dont go to her Funeral?

Catfished? you are an absolute fool and you think the rest of us are that stupid as well.

I don't give a rats ass how good you are as a Line Backer, ND should terminate you this moment and kick your ass of the Campus!

In the military, there is a term:

You might have 100 "attaboys" but they can all be wiped away buy 1 "Awsh*t"

I call BS on you...

I call BS on your story...

I call BS on your excuses.