Subway Failed To Investigate ‘Serious’ Complaint About Jared Fogle In 2011
Subway Sandwiches has completed an investigation into past comments and complaints about former Subway spokesperson and admitted pedophile Jared Fogle, and found that one “serious” complaint made via the company’s website in 2011 was not followed up on because it did not include direct accusations of sexual impropriety, according to Michael McLaughlin of the Huffington Post.
A spokesperson for Subway issued a statement regarding the findings of the investigation to the Huffington Post.
“SUBWAY’s investigation of allegations regarding its former spokesman Jared Fogle is now complete. The investigation identified one complaint that was submitted via SUBWAY’s website in 2011 that expressed concerns about Mr. Fogle. Although the complaint was serious, there was nothing that implied anything about sexual behavior or criminal activity involving Mr. Fogle. We regret that this comment was not properly escalated or acted upon.”
Erik Ortiz of NBC News reports that the source of the 2011 complaint was identified as Rochelle Herman-Walrond, a former journalist from Florida, who revealed to WWSB-TV in Sarasota last month that she also took her concerns to the FBI and secretly recorded her phone conversations with Fogle for more than four years to assist the agency’s investigation.
Former Subway franchisee Cindy Mills issued a statement through her lawyer stating that in 2008 she had alerted an executive in charge of Subway’s advertising, as well as regional Subway executive Jeff Moody, that Fogle had spoken with her about his proclivity for paying for sex with minors. Moody denies ever having known about Fogle’s impropriety, and Subway claims to have no record of a complaint made by any franchisee. McMahon stated that the 2011 complaint “expressed concerns about Mr. Fogle,” but declined to elaborate upon the details or the nature of the “serious” complaint. However, the initial Subway spokesperson of record did go on to state that, “We regret that this comment was not properly escalated or acted upon.”
Fogle, who came to prominence as Subway’s spokesperson in 2000, faces a maximum sentence of 50 years after pleading guilty to paying for sex with at least one minor and possession of child pornography. Under the terms of the plea deal, Fogle will face a minimum of five years behind bars. However, the prosecution has agreed not to seek more than 12-and-a-half years. Fogle faces sentencing on November 19. Fogle is presumed to have been granted the plea deal in exchange for turning over evidence and perhaps testifying against the former head of his charitable organization, who is suspected of having run a massive child pornography ring.
[Photo by Chris Graythen / Getty Images]
