ZIONSVILLE, Ind. — A raid at the home of an iconic restaurant spokesman is casting a glaring spotlight on his relationship with the former head of a foundation he set up to combat childhood obesity.
Federal and state authorities raided the home of Subway pitchman Jared Fogle on Tuesday, just two months after the then-executive director of Fogle’s foundation was arrested on child pornography charges.
This undated booking photo provided by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department shows former Jared Foundation executive director Russell Taylor.Authorities wouldn’t describe the nature of the investigation or what they hoped to find on electronics removed from Fogle’s house. Fogle’s attorney said his client, known by millions as “The Subway Guy,” was cooperating with investigators.
Subway said in a statement that it believed the raid was “related to a prior investigation” of a former employee of the Jared Foundation, an organization founded by Fogle to raise awareness about childhood obesity. The company didn’t say whether that employee was former foundation executive director Russell Taylor.
Federal prosecutors in May filed a criminal complaint charging Taylor, 43, with seven counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Investigators said they discovered a cache of sexually explicit photos and videos Taylor allegedly produced by secretly filming minor children at his home.