Remember all those TV commercials with this guy claiming he’d lost a ton of weight by eating only Subway sandwiches?
His name is Jared Fogle, aka “The Subway Guy.” As recounted by Wikipedia:
Fogle first came to media attention in April 1999, through an article written in the Indiana Daily Student by a former dormmate about Fogle’s weight loss. Fogle was later featured in a Men’s Health magazine article, “Stupid Diets. . . that Work!” According to the article, Fogle had become obese by eating junk food and not exercising. Switching to eating at Subway, he changed his eating habits…to include healthier choices and smaller portions free of fattening condiments such as mayonnaise, which was followed by his significant weight loss.
A Chicago-area Subway franchisee took the idea to Subway’s Chicago advertising agency…. The first [TV] spot aired on January 1, 2000, introducing Fogle and his story…. Fogle appeared in several television commercials along with sponsored in-store appearances throughout the United States…. by 2013 he had filmed more than 300 commercials and continues to make appearances and speeches for the company. Subway attributes one third to one half of its growth in sales—more than tripling from 1998 to 2011—to Fogle….
Fogle, who is six feet two inches in height, weighs 200 pounds. He is reportedly worth $15 million, and has a “black card” for free food at Subway restaurants.
According to FOX59, at around 6:30 AM yesterday, the feds raided Fogle’s home in Zionsville, Indiana, in an ongoing child porn investigation. Reporters said an evidence truck was parked in his driveway and both the Indiana State Police and FBI investigators were at the scene.
While Fogle should be presumed innocent until proven guilty, it is troubling that:
1. In 2007 while at Indiana University, Fogle ran a black market pornography rental service straight out of his dorm room. From VH1:
His porn collection was vast and extensive, and Fogle took his business pretty seriously. A video would run a patron a dollar a day (cheap!), and people would come from all over to take advantage of the deal. Needless to say, Jared had enough porn to keep his customers happy.
2. In April 2015, Russell Taylor, the executive director of Fogle’s non-profit foundation, was arrested for child exploitation, possession of child pornography, and voyeurism. Fogle had established the Jared Fogle Foundation in 2004 — a kid-oriented nonprofit organization focused on raising awareness about childhood obesity through educational programs and tools provided to parents, schools and community organizations. Investigators found more than 500 child-porn videos and pictures in Taylor’s house. Taylor attempted suicide on May 6 at the Marion County Jail and was placed on life support. Fogle severed all ties with him immediately following the arrest.
Subway acted quickly after the news of the raid on Jared Fogle’s house. The company announced that Subway and Fogle have “mutually agreed” to suspend their relationship, and Subway has removed all references to Fogel on its website.
~Éowyn
