Anyone who follows sports in the USA will be familiar with the case of Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o and his imaginary girlfriend who allegedly died of leukemia last September (2012) within hours of the passing of his beloved grandmother. The football player appeared to be seriously grieving the loss of both persons at the time.
It’s hard to imagine how an intelligent young man could be so gullible as to fall deeply in love with someone he met and knew only in cyberspace. Clearly there have been no in-person sexual intimacy between them. The intensity of such a relationship with a fantasy character may be a testimony to the internet age in which today’s youth are raised.
The birth time Manti Te’o is not available online. I tried to ask his imaginary girlfriend but, having recently died of leukemia, she did not respond, so I used a sunrise chart for his birth place. What is striking about the birth chart is the very close conjunction of Mercury (thought) and Neptune (illusion) in the sunrise 12th house of scandal, hidden enemies, and self-undoing. In addition, his natal Jupiter Rx in Leo opposes his Aquarius sun, suggesting perhaps acting ability and a proneness to over-the-top exaggeration. Natal Venus, the goddess of love, is semi-square Uranus — an indication of sudden or unusual infatuations that end inharmoniously.
Manti Te’o Natal Chart for sunrise
Interestingly, when the news story broke (Wednesday, January 16, 2013), transiting Pluto was in 9 degrees of Capricorn and crossing his sunrise 12th house Placidus cusp. Pluto rules the Scorpio Midheaven (career, reputation) of his sunrise chart and the 12th house symbolizes scandal, undoing, sedition and secret enemies. Manti Te’o insists he was the victim of a hoax and was in no way complicit with the amorous ruse that has swept the sports headlines. I’d be interested to hear what others think of this chart.
Anthony Louis - Astrology & Tarot Blog 
I played with the chart on my computer, and while it’s hardly a proper rectification I think the Mercury/Neptune conjunction might be in or ruling the fifth to localize the Neptune influence. I use whole signs, so Aquarius, Gemini and Virgo rising would be the candidates. Gemini and Virgo rising also give an angular Mars, which fits his profession. I wouldn’t put money on it without looking at the various timing factors, but I figured it was worth noting.
Thanks, Eric.
Your comments certainly make sense, but as you say, we need a lot more data to rectify the chart. Maybe someone will post the actual birth time.
He has the arabic part of treachery at his Merc/Nept conjunction. He also has Sabik conjunct Pluto at the mid-heaven, a psychopathy indicator.
Grace,
Thanks for the observations. This is a sunrise chart since I don’t have the actual birth time, so the MC connection is speculative.
Tony
“”his imaginary girlfriend who allegedly died of leukemia last September (2012) within hours of the passing of his beloved grandmother. The football player appeared to be seriously grieving the loss of both persons at the time.”” sounds like some kind of transference which is what they call this is psychology land i believe..
t neptune exact square his natal mars and he has these 2 in a 135 natally with mercury as well.. reinforcement for what is in the natal chart. he is the victim of someone’s desire to play on his gullibility which one could say is more likely given neptunes connection to these 2 inner planets. solar arc neptune on the sun/jupiter opposition adds more empty speculation into the mix.. good thing he wasn’t a stock broker or someone might have lost a lot of money, lol..