from tmz

 


Ronaiah  Tuiasosopo had intense feelings for Manti Te'o ...  feelings that developed over time that he channeled through a female persona,  but the emotions -- like the scam -- were rooted in fantasy.

Sources very  close to Ronaiah tell TMZ ... he struggled for years trying to adapt to the  expectations of his culture, his religion and his family.  Ronaiah, we're  told, never had a serious physical relationship with anyone and created a female  persona online as a way to vent his feelings.

We're told Ronaiah used the  female persona in many encounters, but so far there's no evidence he became  intensely emotionally attached to anyone -- until Manti.  We've confirmed  when Ronaiah spoke with Manti as "Lennay Kekua" he used his own  voice.

Indeed ... Ronaiah's feelings became so intense, he blew his cover  on December 6 because it was hard to walk away.  He never intended to  reveal Manti was actually talking to a man ... he just wanted to reconnect with  Manti, but still as a woman. 

Our sources say Ronaiah has buried  his feelings to the point he has little emotion about anything.  We're told  even the scandal has not produced intense emotions. 

We're told,  Ronaiah shut down emotionally at a very young age.  He lived his life  through fantasy.

Read more: http://www.tmz.com#ixzz2IvGMHBI2
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