I'm Rebecca Lervoy and this is You Can't make this up is the podcast where we uncover the true stories behind

your favorite Netflix documentaries and films.

On this episode, we mark season two of the Netflix documentary series Untold.

Today, we take a closer look at the two-part episode, The Girlfriend who didn't exist.

And then she said my name again and the British stops.

Anti. I.

This time we're talking to directors Ryan Duffy and Tony Vignuku.

Notre Dame's Manteanteo was already one of college football's biggest stars.

His stature grew when he revealed his longtime girlfriend died right before a critical game during his senior season.

But on the eve of going pro, reporters uncovered his online girlfriend never existed.

At a time when the public hadn't heard of catfishing, football fans were left to wonder

how Teo could be duped by someone he'd never met, or whether he was actually in on the hoax.

Just like the feel-good hit of the summer,

the Man-Tido story isn't real.

What started as an inspirational story deteriorated into a cruel, twisted hoax.

The initial response was total bewilderment.

This was a very elaborate, very sophisticated hoax. And I'm joined by Executive Producer and Director Ryan Duffy and Director Tony Vianuku.

Welcome to you can't make this up.

Thanks for having us.

Yes, indeed.

This is probably the most empathetic approach to this story

that could possibly have been taken.

...