SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES
Subway’s Jared should have heeded his own advice about karma
Aug 19, 2015, 2:32 PM | Updated: 3:48 pm
Former Subway pitchman Jared Fogle leaves the Federal Courthouse in Indianapolis on Wednesday following a hearing on child-pornography charges. Fogle agreed to plead guilty to allegations that he paid for sex acts with minors and received child pornography in a case that destroyed his career at the sandwich-shop chain and could send him to prison for more than a decade. (AP)
(AP)
In hindsight, comments Subway pitchman Jared Fogle made during Seahawks pregame shows are somewhat creepy.
On Wednesday, Fogle agreed to plead guilty to allegations he paid for sex acts with minors and viewed child pornography.
Fogle met with KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson for years during Seahawks pregame shows as part of Subway’s NFL sponsorship. Dori admits the two were on a first-name basis.
Fogle would talk about his message to children, including not following the same “path” he went down himself. And if he couldn’t make an event, he would send his pants in his stead, Fogle joked with Dori.
“In retrospect, these are kind of creepy,” Dori said.
Fogle’s actions cost him his career with the sandwich-shop chain and could send him to prison for more than a decade.
Prosecutors allege that Fogle knew the pornography had been secretly produced by the former director of his charitable foundation, which sought to raise awareness about childhood obesity and arranged for Fogle to visit schools and urge children to adopt healthy eating and exercise habits.
Authorities said Fogle offered to pay adult prostitutes a finder’s fee if they could connect him with minors for sex acts, including some as young as 14 or 15 years old.
Dori said he was suspicious of Fogle. When he first interviewed him, Dori asked him how he got to be so heavy. Fogle seemed to be wrestling with some demons.
At the time, Fogle told Dori he tried to help prepare children for opportunities they may not be ready for in life.
“Be smart about it,” Fogle said. “Be a good person and usually karma comes back to be good to you.”
Fogle is expected to enter the formal plea at a later date to one count each of traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and distribution and receipt of child pornography.
The agreement released by prosecutors said Fogle will pay $1.4 million in restitution to 14 minor victims, who will each receive $100,000. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and undergo treatment for sexual disorders.
The government agreed not to seek a sentence of more than 12 years.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
