This is a must read from SI.com of an unedited interview with Te’o that just raises a ton of more questions, but the most telling is Te’o confirming he met his fake girlfriend in person.
Notre Dame says their relationship was just online.
SI: How did you meet her?
TE’O: We met just, ummmm, just she knew my cousin. And kind of saw me there so. Just kind of regular.
SI: How long were you dating? I know that can be a complicated question.
TE’O: Oct. 15 was the official date. Of last year. I’ve known her for four years. So we’ve been friends.
SI: So you dated for about a year.
TE’O: Yeah.
SI: Your girlfriend’s funeral was yesterday?
TE’O: I talked to [her family yesterday]. I cried. I cried at 12 noon yesterday. At 9 a.m. California time.
SI: She was buried in California?
TE’O: She was always in California. Her family is from Hawaii but they live in California.
SI: Where did you meet her in California?
TE’O: She actually came to one of the games. She saw me at one of the games.
SI: October 15, I assume is USC?
TE’O: That was in November. But she saw me at the USC game of my sophomore year. We were still just friends, we were acquaintances.
