Subway has completed its investigation of admitted child sex offender and former spokesperson Jared Fogle, and on Friday, Sept. 11, revealed that the company found one “serious” complaint against the 38-year-old.
“Subway’s investigation of allegations regarding its former spokesman Jared Fogle is now complete,” a company spokesperson told Us Weekly in a statement. “The investigation included an extensive review of more than one million comments submitted to the Company’s customer relations team, review of all available documents, and interviews with past and present Company and Franchisee Advertising Fund employees and management.
"The investigation identified one complaint that was submitted via Subway’s website in 2011 that expressed concerns about Mr. Fogle,” the statement continued. "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. When we first learned of the investigation into Mr. Fogle, we immediately suspended and subsequently ended our relationship with him. The harm he caused so many is inexcusable and we continue to extend sympathies to his victims and their families.”
“It is important to note that the investigation found no further evidence of any other complaints of any kind regarding Mr. Fogle that were submitted to or shared with Subway. Since 2011, the company has strengthened its processes for reviewing and escalating customer comments, complaints and inquiries. Improvements are ongoing and include better tracking and follow-up systems as well as newer technologies to help better manage processes,” the statement concluded.
As previously reported, a former Subway franchisee named Cindy Mills claimed to Business Insider that she allegedly alerted Subway executives about Fogle’s interest in minors years ago. Mills said that after alerting at least three different employees in advertising, Subway ignored her accusations.
"Every time I would see him on TV in a commercial with his arms around these children, it would kill me," Mills said. "I couldn’t stand it anymore."
Subway has since denied that they were alerted of such claims. In a statement to Us last month, the company said they “have no record of Cindy Mill’s complaint” and that they were “continuing [their] investigation into this matter."
On Aug. 19, the U.S. attorney’s office in Indianapolis, Ind., released documents that accused Fogle of “engaging in sex acts with minors and receiving child pornography.” As previously reported, Fogle plead guilty to one count of travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, and one count of distribution and receipt of child pornography. He will serve at least five years in prison, pay $1.4 million in restitution, and register as a sex offender.
His wife, Katie, filed for divorce the next day.
