For a brief time period in American history, a man who ate fast food no sane human being should on a regular basis was a cultural icon. Subway’s Jared Fogle sold out speeches (yes, really), held up his old pants, and for more than a decade was a spokesman for the brand. He seemed a soaring success, but, in 2015, the empire based on foot-long sandwiches with sad meat got soggy.
For those unfamiliar, it was at this time the FBI began investigating Fogle for crimes related to child pornography. Their activities — which were first sparked by concern as early as 2007 — culminated in a raid on his home and ultimately the Subway franchise severed their relationship with him after first moving forward with a preliminary suspension. The investigation revealed that Fogle had received images and videos through text messages and in one instance even traveled out of state to pay for sex with a 17-year-old girl in New York City. The conditions of his plea deal included paying $1.4 million in restitution, registering as a sex offender for life, and stipulated that supervised visits with his children are only allowed with the consent of his ex-wife.
Had he opted to go to trial and not plead guilty, Fogle could have faced 50 years in prison. He ended up with 188 months and must serve at least 13 years before becoming eligible for release with good behavior. Fogle is currently incarcerated at the low-security Federal Correctional Institution in Englewood, Colorado, and is alongside convicted Walter Scott murderer Michael Slager. These days, little is known about Fogle’s life behind bars. While some reports have suggested he is living the “high life”, others say he is a constant target due to having a status others in prison often hate.
Whatever the case, Jared Fogle remains a memorable part of society for those of a certain age. Today, his misdeeds are better-known than his marketing moments and those curious about his downfall can catch it on the Jared from Subway: Catching a Monster series now on Investigation Discovery.