Article updated: 1/19/2013 9:49 AM

Te’o tells ESPN he was duped

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Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o insisted he "wasn't faking it," ESPN reports.

Associated Press

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Notre Dame linebacker 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 with ESPN on Friday night, 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 hoax on Wednesday and indicated Tuiasosopo was involved in it.

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