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18th Aug 2022

Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist is Netflix’s latest documentary all about catfishing

Ellen Fitzpatrick

It’s here.

Netflix’s latest documentary is all about catfishing, but looks into one hoax that had America gripped.

Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist looks into the “secret online relationship” that led to college footballer Manti Te’o’s life being up-ended.

Going back to 2012, the Notre Dame player has been messaging a girl he met on Facebook, a woman by the name of Lennay Kekua who was based in LA.

The two became quite close and often spoke on the phone, but she always had an excuse as to why she couldn’t meet in person.

Later on in their relationship, Manti discovered through Lennay’s family that she had been diagnosed with leukaemia and died the same day his grandmother had.


Obviously left devastated by this, it seemed there was a lot that didn’t fit the story and in the new documentary, we find out what.

Still playing football, Deadspin did an investigation on the catfishing incident which revealed that Lennay never existed.

The official Netflix synopsis reads: “Born into a Hawaiian paradise, All-American football standout Manti Te’o leads a simple life summed up in just three words: faith, family, football.

“College football’s golden boy could do no wrong, but when tragedy strikes, the increased scrutiny of his online relationship causes a media maelstrom that threatens his future and legacy.

“Featuring in-depth interviews with Manti Te’o and the person behind the online identity, Ronaiah ‘Naya’ Tuiasosopo.”

Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist heads to Netflix on August 16th.