How will Subway pitchman Jared Fogle weather FBI investigation?

Jared Fogle's weight-loss story made him a celebrity, but his career may be forever damaged after police searched the Subway spokesman's home two months after an associate's arrest on child pornography charges.

The FBI, Indiana State Police and U.S. Postal Service on Tuesday grabbed documents, electronics and other items from Fogle's Zionsville home. From early morning through early evening officials streamed back and forth between the house and a large evidence truck parked in the driveway.

Authorities would not comment on the nature of the investigation.

Fogle is assisting investigators, his attorney said.

"Jared has been cooperating, and continues to cooperate, with law enforcement in their investigation of unspecified charges and looks forward to its conclusion," attorney Ron Elberger said in an email. "He has not been detained, arrested or charged with any crime or offense."

Subway in a statement Tuesday said the fast-food giant and its everyman pitchman were "suspending their relationship" because of the probe. Earlier in the day the company said it was "shocked" over the news. By the end of the day it had pulled a page on Fogle from its website.

Fogle's rise as a sandwich spokesman turned the Hoosier into a celebrity. He was a 425-pound freshman at Indiana University when he embarked on an unusual diet of turkey and veggie subs in 1998. After losing 235 pounds he began to appear in television commercials for Subway.

He has since starred in more than 300 Subway commercials, appeared in numerous television shows and movies, wrote an autobiographical book and pulls in $5,000 to $10,000 for personal appearances. His net worth now may exceed $15 million, estimates celebritynetworth.com.

Officials from the FBI and the Indiana State Police referred questions about the search of Fogle's home to the U.S. attorney's office. A spokesman there said Department of Justice policy prohibits confirming or denying the existence of an investigation.

The search follows the May arrest of a man hired in 2008 to run Fogle's nonprofit, The Jared Foundation, which through trips to schools and other events encourages children to develop habits of healthy eating and exercise.

Russell Taylor, 43, of Indianapolis, was charged with seven counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Detectives said Taylor had produced and possessed child pornography involving children — both boys and girls — as young as 9 years old, court documents said.

Two thumb drives found in Taylor's home office appeared to have a link to Fogle or his foundation, according to court records.

One drive, police said, contained "commercially made child pornography from Eastern Europe similar to that seized on other investigations" and "revealed a document file with Taylor's employer listed in the file name."

In the documents, the investigating detective described another drive in which "videos of child pornography and child erotica were recovered as were documents related to his employment as director of a foundation."

Fogle, who founded The Jared Foundation in 2004, fired Taylor soon after his arrest. Fogle issued a statement saying that he was "shocked" and that his foundation was "severing all ties" with Taylor.

Taylor while in custody at the Marion County Jail on May 6 attempted suicide. He survived and was put on life support.

Tim Horty, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office, said Tuesday that Taylor's health has improved and that he was in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

A tip from a woman who reached out to Indiana State Police prompted the investigation into Taylor, court records said. The woman said Taylor offered to send her images and videos of young girls by text message, and she also raised concerns about bestiality and other sexual matters.

Officers searching Taylor's home in the 1300 block of Salem Creek Boulevard on April 29 found several digital media cards and thumb drives that included "multiple video files of nude or partially nude minor children," court documents said. More than 400 videos of child pornography were found.

Many of the images appeared to have been made in bedrooms and bathrooms at Taylor's former and current homes, police said. "Many of these videos showed the exposed genitals or pubic area of the children," both boys and girls, court records said. The "minors did not appear to be aware that they were being filmed."

The court documents also said Taylor had an interest in bestiality and shared images with an unnamed person involving a "dog licking the nude genital area of an adult female."

Taylor has not been charged with any crimes related to bestiality.

The attorney on record for Taylor did not respond to a request for comment after his initial arrest.

On June 3, federal authorities asked for additional time in which to present the case against Taylor to a federal grand jury for indictment. According to court documents, that request was granted two days later. The court ordered that the government's time to review the evidence in the case could be extended until Aug. 3.

Authorities began searching Fogle's home in the 4500 block of Woods Edge Drive before sunrise Tuesday morning. By 7:30 a.m. officers were seen removing electronics, documents and other items and loading them into the evidence truck.

FBI spokeswoman Wendy Osborne did confirm that the agency was conducting a criminal investigation in Zionsville but declined to elaborate further.

Subway said in a statement that it is "shocked" by the news and believes the search of Fogle's home was related to Taylor's arrest.

Fogle stepped out of the evidence truck before leaving in a black Lexus with his attorney, who returned to the home later in the day without Fogle.

The home was surrounded by police, media and curious neighbors. About two dozen vehicles lined the nearby street, including several squad cars and at least two media satellite trucks.

An officer from the Zionsville Police Department walked back and forth on the street. Curious neighbors and passersby also walked by, pausing to gawk at the spectacle.

Neighbors said the Fogle family was cordial but private. Other residents declined to discuss their neighbors.

"He's a private guy," Jacob Schrader, 19, said.

Schrader said he saw Fogle walking the neighborhood or getting his mail. Other neighbors said Fogle would appear outside from time to time and give a friendly wave.

On Tuesday, the blinds were drawn on the home.

USA Today contributed to this article. Call Star reporter Vic Ryckaert at (317) 444-2701. Follow him on Twitter: @VicRyc.