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Dr. Phil Books Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, Man Allegedly Behind Manti Te'o Girlfriend Hoax

2:13 AM, Jan 26, 2013   |    comments
Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Manti Te'o leaves the field follow their defeat to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2013 BCS Championship game (Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports)
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NEW YORK (AP) - Dr. Phil McGraw has booked the first on-camera interview with the man who allegedly concocted the girlfriend hoax that ensnared Notre Dame football star Manti Te'o.

A "Dr. Phil Show" spokesperson confirmed on Friday the interview with Ronaiah Tuiasosopo (roh-NY-ah too-ee-AH'-so-SO'-poh), the man accused of creating an online persona of a nonexistent woman who Te'o said he fell for without ever meeting face-to-face.

The ruse was uncovered last week by Deadspin.com, which reported that Tuiasosopo created the woman, named Lennay Kekua, who then supposedly died last September.

No further details of the "Dr. Phil" interview, including its airdate, were announced.

This interview follows the first on-camera interview with Te'o conducted this week by Katie Couric.