Subway Says Internal Review Turned Up Complaint About Jared Fogle
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Subway has admitted it received a serious complaint about former pitchman Jared Fogle when he was still the company's spokesman.
The revelation comes as the company completed its internal investigation into whether it was alerted to concerns about Fogle.
Subway's investigation included a review of more than a million online comments and interviews with past and present employees and managers of the company and an advertising fund, the company said in a statement.
The chain restaurant said the complaint came from a former Florida journalist in 2011.
The woman said she worked with the FBI to record Fogle expressing interest in sex with minors, CBS2 reported.
Subway said while the 4-year-old complaint expressed an interest, it did not imply criminal activity.
Nevertheless, the company said in its statement that it regrets that the complaint was "not properly escalated or acted upon.''
Fogle agreed to plead guilty last month to child pornography and claims that he traveled to pay for sex acts with minors while he stayed in upscale hotels in New York City.
WEB EXTRA: Read The Government's Accusations | Read The Plea Agreement
According to a document released by prosecutors in Indianapolis, the allegations involve minors who appeared in pornography and two who participated in sex acts. In all, 14 alleged victims were involved.
Fogle has agreed to plead guilty to one count of traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and one count of distribution and receipt of child pornography.
Fogle and federal prosecutors are still discussing a prison sentence, but they have agreed it will be five to 12 1/2 years. Fogle also agreed to pay $1.4 million in restitution to the 14 minor victims, who will each receive $100,000, according to a document filed ahead of an expected court appearance. He must also register as a sex offender.
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