by 89 WLS web staff
Notre Dame officials held a press conference Wednesday night to talk about the hoax involving Manti Te'o.

The University's Vice President and Director of Athletics, Jack Swarbrick, said that Manti was the victim of a "very elaborate, very sophisticated hoax perpetrated for reasons we can't fully understand."

Earlier, Te'o released a statement about the hoax, which involved a a dead girlfiend who never existed.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE NOTRE DAME PRESS CONFERENCE

Deadspin.com first reported that it could find no record of the existence of Lennay Kekua, who was the alleged girlfiend.

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL TRANSCRIPT OF NOTRE DAME PRESS CONFERENCE

The univerity says it was told by the linebacker and his parents in December that he was the victim of an apparent hoax.

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by 89 WLS web staff
Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o has released a statement after an apparent hoax against him was uncovered involving a dead girlfiend who never existed.

ESPN-dot-com is reporting that Te'o admits to meeting a woman online and developing an emotional relationship with her, though he never knew the woman, Lennay Kekua, was not real.

CLICK HERE TO READ ESPN STORY

"To realize that I was the victim of what was apparently someone's sick joke and constant lies was, and is, painful and humiliatling," the statement reads.

The story about Te'o's girlfiend dying apparently inspired him to play better, but the university says it was told by Te'o and his parents in late December that he learned he was a victim of an apparent hoax.

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By TOM COYNE
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - Notre Dame says a story about Manti Te'o's girlfriend dying, which he said inspired him to play better as he helped the Fighting Irish get to the BCS title game, turned out to be a hoax apparently perpetrated against the linebacker.

The university issued a news release Wednesday after Deadspin.com reported it could find no record of Lennay Kekua existing.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE STATEMENT FROM NOTRE DAME

The university says that Notre Dame coaches were informed by Te'o and his parents on Dec. 26 that Te'o had been the victim of what appeared to be a hoax. Someone using a fictitious name "apparently ingratiated herself" with Te'o, the school said, then conspired with others to lead him to believe she had died of leukemia.

The university said "the proper authorities" are investigating a "very cruel deception."
Copyright © 2013 Associated Press