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Notre Dame Star Victim of Girlfriend Hoax? [VIDEO]

A college football star appears to have been the victim of a hoax involving an online relationship and a fake girlfriend.

FOX News Radio’s Ron Flatter reports:

Audio clip:

Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick got emotional in his news conference.

(Swarbrick) “Single most trusting human being I’ve ever met, will never be able to trust in the same way again in his life.”

Talking about star linebacker Manti Te’o whom Swarbrick said was duped into thinking he had an online relationship with a girlfriend who died of leukemia in September in a story that gained national attention.

But Swarbrick says she never existed.

(Swarbrick) “Manti is the victim of that hoax, and he will carry that with him for awhile.”

Swarbrick said the perpetrators and motive are unknown and that Te’o's family discovered the hoax last month.

Te’o is expected to hold a Thursday news conference.

Ron Flatter, FOX News Radio.

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One Comment

  1. Dadude246

    January 17, 2013 at 10:24 am

    Has anyone thought it strange that Mr. Manti Te'o wore #5? (Not a normal number for a Linebacker). As I remember about 25 years ago a young man playing, Linebacker, for wake Forest wore #5 in memory of a brother who was killed in a car accident. I believe the year was 1987, and it was the "feel good" story of the year – are we watching a copycat?