Subway suspends relationship with spokesperson Jared Fogle amid federal investigation
ZIONSVILLE, Ind. -- Sandwich chain Subway says it is suspending its relationship with spokesperson Jared Fogle amid a federal investigation that included FBI agents and Indiana State Police raiding Fogle's home on Tuesday, removing electronics from the property and searching the house with a police dog.
FBI Special agent Wendy Osborne said the bureau was conducting an investigation in Zionsville, an affluent Indianapolis suburb, but they wouldn't say whether it involved Fogle or describe the nature of the investigation.
PHOTOS: Authorities investigate at Jared Fogle's house
Fogle's attorney released the following statement Tuesday:
- Jared has been cooperating, and continues to cooperate, with law enforcement in their investigation of unspecified charges, and looks forward to its conclusion.
Neighbors confirmed the raid occurred at the home of Fogle, 37, who became the restaurant chain's pitchman after shedding 245 pounds more than 15 years ago. Subway began featuring Fogle in commercials soon after, and his story was instrumental in giving the sandwich chain an image as a healthy place to eat.
He has since worked to create awareness of childhood obesity through his Jared Foundation.
WTHR-TV and The Indianapolis Star reported Fogle was detained while electronics were removed from the home and analyzed inside a mobile forensics van Tuesday morning. Fogle, wearing tan shorts and a dark T-shirt, was photographed early Tuesday by The Indianapolis Star stepping out of a police evidence van parked outside his home.
Late Tuesday morning, an armed officer with a badge on his belt briefly stepped outside Fogle's house wearing a blue T-shirt reading, "U.S. Postal Inspector Police," then went back inside.
ABC affiliate WRTV reports the investigation comes in the wake of a child pornography probe for one of Fogle's former business partners. Russell C. Taylor was charged in early May with seven counts of production and one count of possession of child pornography. A spokesperson for the Jared Foundation said it cut all ties with Taylor following his arrest.
Fogle was not implicated and immediately cut ties with Taylor. At the time Fogle said he was shocked by what he called the "disturbing allegations" against Taylor.
The search, which began at 6 a.m., also involved the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the U.S. Postal Inspector Police, WRTV reports.
Calls to Fogle's home went unanswered Tuesday. A representative for Subway, Cindy Carrasquilla, did not respond to emails or phone messages seeking comment.
Neighbors said the family entertained frequently and would say hello but that they didn't see the couple outside a lot.
Jacob Schrader, 19, who lives across from Fogle's house, said the pitchman seems "like a pretty private guy" and that he'd only seen him about a dozen times in the last five or six years.
"He's like an endangered species or something like that," Schrader said.
Following an earlier statement saying it was monitoring the situation, Subway said the decision to suspend its relationship with Fogle was mutual.
"Subway and Jared Fogle have mutually agreed to suspend their relationship due to the current investigation. Jared continues to cooperate with authorities and he expects no actions to be forthcoming. Both Jared and Subway agree that this was the appropriate step to take."
Tuesday afternoon, it appeared the company was making efforts to remove Fogle from its website. The tab for "Jared's Journey" had been redirected back to the site's homepage.
Subway, which is based in Milford, Connecticut, and is privately held, has struggled in recent years. Last year, industry tracker Technomic said average sales for Subway stores in the U.S. declined 3 percent from the previous year. The company has about 44,000 locations around the world.
Fogle has not been arrested or charged with any crime.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
ABC News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
