The woman whose photo was used as the "face" of Manti Te'o's supposed girlfriend said she didn't know who he was until the tragic girlfriend hoax story was made public last week.
Diane O'Meara, 23, was completely unaware that her face was being used as the face of Lennay Kekua for months as the Notre Dame football star told and re-told the story about how he excelled on the field despite the personal tragedy of Kekua's death.
Pictures that Miss O'Meara had posted on Facebook and Instagram were used in the elaborate hoax, which she says is a case of identity theft.
"It's very bizarre, and it's a very twisted and confusing scenario,'' O'Meara told NBC's Miguel Almaguer in a segment that aired on TODAY Tuesday. "I've never met Manti Te'o in my entire life. I've never spoken with him. I've never exchanged words, tweets (with him).''
O'Meara told NBC's "Today" show Tuesday that Ronaiah Tuiasosopo used pictures of her without her knowledge, but has since apologized for his actions. He called to apologize Jan. 16, the day Deadspin.com broke the hoax story, she said.
The photos depicting the fictional Kekua in her Twitter account turned out to be taken from the Facebook page of O'Meara, who went to high school with Tuiasosopo.
O'Meara also said that for five years, Tuiasosopo "has literally been stalking my Facebook and stealing my photos."
"I don't think there's anything he could say to me that would fix this," said O'Meara, a 23-year-old marketing executive in Los Angeles.
Tuiasosopo has not spoken publicly since the news broke. His family has said they may speak out this week. His father wrote on Facebook that "It's my hope and prayer that we allow the truth to take its course, wherever that may lead.''
O'Meara, a marketing executive in Los Angeles, will speak more about her story in a live interview Wednesday on TODAY.
Related Articles:
Manti Te'o To Interview With Katie Couric For First Time As Ronaiah Tuiasosopo Goes Public, Girlfriend Hoax Saga For Notre Dame LB Continues
Manti Te'o's Dead Girlfriend Lennay Kekua was Fictitious (PHOTO)
NFL Analyst Say It's To Early To Determine How The Hoax Will Affect Manti Te'o's Draft Stamdongs
