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‘Subway’ Pitchman Jared Fogle to Pay $1M to Child Abuse Victims

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Jared Fogle pays $1M in restitution to victims: $400K still to be paid

Former Subway (an American fast food restaurant franchise) pitchman Jared Fogle, who in August 2015 pleaded guilty to child pornography charges and to crossing state lines to pay for sex with minors, has paid out up to $1 million worth of restitution to his victims as part of his punishment, according to a statement made by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven DeBrota in Indianapolis on October 22. Mr. Fogle has not been sentenced for his crimes yet.

Thus far, ten of his victims: three adults and seven minors (or their parents) were presented with checks of $100,000 each in the last several weeks, according to CNN. Each signed a form confirming they had received the money, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven De-Brota. Variety reports that the money is intended to be used for medical care, mental health counseling and other needs of the victims. Debrota said that the money going to the victims will help those 14 restitution recipients get on with their lives and hopefully arrive at a point where they would have been had they never met Fogle.

The Guardian reports that Carol Hepburn, a Seattle attorney who has helped several child abuse victims pursue restitution, said the vast majority of restitution orders in those cases are never fully paid. She said she hopes the disgraced spokesman’s wealth and quick restitution to his victims will have no impact on the length of his sentence. “I would hope that justice is equal for those who have money as well as those who don’t,” Hepburn said.

Examiner reports that leading up to Jared Fogle’s sentencing and his agreement to pay $100,000 to his 14 young victims, a preliminary arrangement has already been worked out where “Prosecutors have agreed not to seek a sentence of more than 12 1/2 years in prison and Fogle agreed not to ask for less than five years,” according to an Associated Press report shared by Fox News. As such, even with a preliminary plea deal in place, Fogle should expect to spend anywhere from five to 12 1/2 years behind bars.

Jerry Margolis, Fogle’s attorney said in an August statement after his client had signed his plea deal that “Jared fully recognizes that such monetary contribution will not undo the harm he has caused” but hopes it can help “these individuals as they try to move forward with their lives,” reports The Guardian.

Four more victims are still waiting for their $100,000 checks, and Fogle – a 38-year-old father of two – is prepared to pay them off by the time he is sentenced in November, a move prosecutors considered rare, according to Daily News. The $1.4 million was part of a plea deal Fogle entered into back August 19. He will be charged for traveling “in interstate commerce in order to engage in unlawful sexual acts with minors, and (attempting) to do so,” and also “distributing and receiving visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and conspiring with others to do so.” Acts mentioned in Fogle’s plea agreement include traveling to New York City and paying a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old for sex at the Plaza Hotel and the Ritz Carlton Hotel between 2010 and 2013. Fogle also apparently texted escorts for sex with minors as young as 14 and 15 years old.

Subway cut ties with its former spokesman already in August when reports emerged that he would plead guilty, issuing a statement that it “no longer has a relationship” with Mr. Fogle, according to Variety. Fogle became a Subway spokesman more than 15 years ago after shedding more than 200 pounds as a college student, in part by eating the chain’s sandwiches.

Kala Jerzy

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