CARSON, Calif. (AP) -- When Notre Dame football star Manti Te'o ordered two dozen white roses delivered to 21503 Water St. in Carson, Calif., he says he thought they were headed to the home of his dead girlfriend, Lennay Kekua.

In fact, public records and interviews with neighbors indicate the man implicated as the ringleader of a false-identity hoax once lived there, as have many of his relatives.

Neighbors told The Associated Press on Saturday that Ronaiah Tuiasosopo used to live at 21503 Water St. and has visited it since moving out about a year ago.

Te'o said Friday in an ESPN interview he had been contacted by the 22-year-old Tuiasosopo, and that the man admitted to masterminding a scam in which Te'o became attached to a woman online who was actually nonexistent.

Tuiasosopo has not commented publicly since the hoax was revealed Wednesday by Deadspin.com.