Notre Dame officials sent out a news release Wednesday afternoon saying that star linebacker Manti Te'o had been the victim of a hoax. The person he had claimed was his girlfriend, who he said died during the season, did not exist.

Deadspin reported the hoax in an in-depth story released on the site Wednesday afternoon, which claimed that T'eo's 22-year girlfriend Lennay Kekua - who, according to reports died of leukemia during the season - never existed. Her death was alleged to have followed the death of Te'o's grandmother and was behind an inspired performance by Te'o.

The site claims that Te'o, who finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy, was in on a hoax.