All middle school outcasts have a common dream: To become important or famous and make the mean kids who taunted and isolated them regret it. That'll show 'em!
Indianapolis native and sandwich spokesman Jared Fogle made that happen.
But rather than dwell on his well-documented success, a new docuseries outlines how his rise to fame gave him the power to commit atrocious crimes. Investigation Discovery's 3-part "Jared from Subway: Catching a Monster" includes interviews with Fogle's childhood classmates, who shared their memories of him and amazement at his rise to fame.
'Subway Jared': A look at Jared Fogle's time at Indiana University and his criminal case
He may have achieved the dreams of many overweight and awkward preteens, but it all came crashing down. He eventually pleaded guilty to child p*rnography charges and accusations of traveling across state lines to have commercial sex. Prosecutors recommended a sentence of 12 and a half years, but the judge in the case gave him 15 years and 8 months, saying “the level of perversion and lawlessness exhibited by Mr. Fogle is extreme.”
Here's a look at four takeaways from the new series, streaming now on Discovery+.
Jared Fogle's weight loss story and 'Subway Diet' gave him celebrity status, access to children
Once a morbidly obese Indiana University student, Fogle and his old, giant pants were regularly welcomed into schools to speak about healthy living. His fame and connection to a national brand made him a trusted figure in public schools.
His fame not only allowed him to be around children, but also let him travel. "Jared from Subway: Catching a Monster" describes Fogle's habit of hiring sex workers on his trips. Testimony revealed he had spent at least $12,000 per year on these exploits.
Russell Taylor and Jared Fogle made a 'toxic combination'
Russell Taylor, head of Fogle's charitable foundation, also is a central figure in the docuseries. In 2022, he pleaded guilty to 30 child p*rnography and sexual exploitation charges against nine children.
Taylor's case involved hidden cameras placed in his west-side home, which he shared with his wife and her two daughters. He and his wife were both accused of sexually molesting underage girls and sharing videos and photos with Fogle.
Taylor was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison.
Angela (Taylor) Baldwin's daughters' lives were forever changed by the crimes
Russell Taylor's ex-wife, Angela Baldwin (formerly Angela Taylor) was convicted in 2021 of federal charges involving sexual exploitation of children. In the docuseries, Baldwin's two daughters describe learning about the hidden cameras in their home and identifying themselves and their friends on the recordings.
The daughters, now adults, recounted the treatment from their mother and stepfather. One noted that now that she is a mother, she could not understand her own mother's actions.
Jared Fogle probe:Angela Baldwin convicted of child exploitation, p*rnography charges
Rochelle Herman's work with the FBI took a toll on her family
Rochelle Herman, a Florida-based radio talk show host, appears in the docuseries as well and shares her initial skepticism toward Fogle when she first met him. She said she was taken aback by his comment that he found middle-school-aged girls sexually attractive.
Herman recorded hours of tape in which she talks to Jared Fogle, sometimes broaching the subject of sex with children. Eventually, she became an informant for the FBI. She became dedicated to finding a way to make sure he was caught and taken off the streets.
'Jared from Subway':How authorities uncovered popular spokesman's sinister side
Herman described her disgust at Fogle making sexual comments about her own children as she tried to keep the conversation going, pretending she shared his interests. Trying to keep her conversations secret from her children was a struggle, and she described the difficulty she faced when her daughter found notes about her phone calls with Fogle. Her son also shared his experience with filmmakers.
