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My how the mighty have fallen: Jared Fogle, the man who inspired millions to lose weight on the Subway Diet, will today be convicted in court of paying for sex with minors and obtaining and distributing child pornography, according to the New York Daily News. It's a shocking revelation in an FBI investigation that has spanned years, and also led to the conviction and imprisonment of one of Fogle's longtime associates, Russell Taylor.
Fogle will pay out $1.4 million to victims and serve at least five years in prison
Yesterday, Subway announced it had officially terminated its relationship with Fogle in light of the announcement that Fogle was expected to plead guilty today. He is charged with "receiving and distributing sexually explicit images of minors, and traveling across state lines to pay for sex with minors." According to the New York Times, as part of the plea deal, Fogle will pay $100,000 to each of 14 underage victims (a total of $1.4 million), and will serve at least five years in prison. He could be forced to serve as many as 20 years. According to his Wikipedia page, Fogle is worth $15 million.
"the younger the girl, the better" — Jared Fogle
Business Insider reveals even more disturbing details: According to court documents Fogle "repeatedly engaged in Internet social networking and traveled for the purpose of engaging in commercial sexual activity between 2007 and February 2015." He frequently visited New York to engage in the illegal activity, and once "paid a 17-year-old for sexual acts at the Plaza Hotel in New York." Documents say Fogle would ask for girls under 18, noting "the younger the girl, the better."
Fogle — who is still married and has two children — will become a registered sex offender. Earlier this year, an FBI investigation blew open the doors to Fogle's horrifying actions. In July, the FBI raided Fogle's home. Since then, the news has only gotten worse for the former Subway spokesperson. Damning text messages Fogle sent to a former colleague came to light early this month. Fogle's court date today marks the beginning of the final chapter of his journey from inspiring personal weight-loss story — and one of the most positive brand spokespeople in recent years — to disturbing sexual predator.
