This whole Manti Te’o situation continues to get stranger. Te’o’s interview with Katie Couric aired today (Thursday.) In it, Katie played recordings of “Lennay,” in the three voicemails, “Lennay” is about to start chemotherapy for the fake cancer, upset because Manti didn’t answer and more.
Call #2 is a sobbing mess … in which Lennay accuses Manti of having another girl in his room. Lennay tells Manti, “I don’t know why you don’t answer your phone … and I don’t care.”
The voice on the other end is said to be voiced by Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, a man. Tuiasosopo is the alleged mastermind behind the “hoax.” He’s also a gay man who has since said that he developed “intense feelings”feelings that developed over time that he channeled through a female persona, but the emotions — like the scam — were rooted in fantasy.
Sources very close to Ronaiah tell TMZ … he struggled for years trying to adapt to the expectations of his culture, his religion and his family. Ronaiah, we’re told, never had a serious physical relationship with anyone and created a female persona online as a way to vent his feelings.
We’re told Ronaiah used the female persona in many encounters, but so far there’s no evidence he became intensely emotionally attached to anyone — until Manti.
The two actually met in person following the USC vs. Notre Dame game where there’s video of them embracing.
Manti claims “Lennay” told him that Tuiasosopo was her favorite cousin. Point of reference here, Tuiasosopo allegedly used his regular speaking voice on the calls with Manti during that time. It didn’t sound familiar to Manti?
Like I said, it’s a lot. What are your thoughts on this?
