Jared Fogle home search: What we know

The Zionsville home of Subway spokesman Jared Fogle was searched Tuesday by federal and state authorities two months after an Indianapolis man who ran Fogle's nonprofit was arrested on child pornography charges.

Fogle has not been arrested or charged with any crime.

Here is a look at the people, organizations and situations involved:

Attorney blast reports of informant, IU porn

A pair of stories widely circulated following a police search of suspended Subway spokesman Jared Fogle's home in Zionsville are false, Fogle's attorney says.

Ron Elberger slammed the reports alleging an unnamed Florida woman -- who claims to have taped telephone conversations with Fogle -- is behind the FBI probe, and that Fogle made money in college renting out pornographic movies.

The woman told television station WWSB in Sarasota that during numerous conversations with Fogle the longtime Subway pitchman made comments she found troubling, which prompted her to contact the FBI. She also said she recorded some subsequent conversations with Fogle for investigators. Among her claims reported by the TV station: Fogle allegedly said middle school girls are hot.

"The story is a fabrication that clearly lacks credibility," Elberger said.

After the search of Fogle's home -- where investigators spent nearly 11 hours and were seen removing electronic equipment and documents -- many news outlets also reported on a 2007 VH1 Best Week Ever claim that Fogle was the owner of an expensive collection of pornographic movies as a college student, and made money renting the movies to fellow students at Indiana University.

"It is false, and absurd," Elberger said of that story.

IndyStar had not published stories based on either of those claims.

Fogle, who was suspended from his role as Subway spokesman following last week's search of his home, has not been charged with any crime.

The Subway-Fogle relationship

Marketing experts on Wednesday said the restaurant chain faces a complicated situation. Should the company sever ties with its longtime spokesman? Or was Subway smart to just suspend its relationship with Fogle while the investigation runs its course and reassess the relationship after all the facts are known?

"Brands are shaped by perceptions," said Tim Calkins, marketing professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. "The longer that people mention Jared in the same breath as child pornography, that's a huge problem for Subway."

Russell Taylor

The 43-year-old Indianapolis man was hired in 2008 to run The Jared Foundation, Fogle's nonprofit. He was fired in April after he was arrested and later charged with seven counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

Taylor tried to commit suicide May 6 while being held in the Marion County Jail. He survived and was placed on life support. His health later improved and he was put in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

The charges

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.

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.

The court documents also said Taylor had an interest in bestiality. He has not been charged with any crimes related to bestiality.

Taylor and his attorneys have not commented on the charges.

His case was moved from Marion County to the federal level.

The ties to Fogle

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."

The search of Fogle's home

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 an evidence truck.

Officers throughout the day moved back and forth between the evidence truck and the home. The home's blinds were drawn.

Officials with the FBI, the Indiana State Police and the U.S. attorney's office would not discuss the nature of the search.

Fogle left the home with his attorney, Ron Elberger.

Statement from Elberger

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

Statements from Subway

About 1 p.m. Tuesday Subway issued this statement:

"We are shocked about the news and believe it is related to a prior investigation of a former Jared Foundation employee. We are very concerned and will be monitoring the situation closely. We don't have any more details at this point."

About 5:30 p.m. Tuesday Subway issued this statement:

"Subway and Jared Fogle have mutually agreed to suspend their relationship due to the current investigation. Jared continues to cooperate with authorities and he expects no actions to be forthcoming. Both Jared and Subway agree that this was the appropriate step to take."

Subway

Subway is the world's largest submarine sandwich chain with more than 37,000 locations, according to its website. The chain got its start when Fred DeLuca borrowed $1,000 from family friend Peter Buck to open his first sandwich shop in Bridgeport, Conn., in 1965.

Forbes estimates annual sales of the privately-held chain at $19.8 billion.

Jared Fogle

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.

The Jared Foundation

Fogle founded his charitable venture in 2004 with the stated goal of eliminating childhood obesity. It's unclear how the organization was funded or if Fogle or Subway contributed money to it.

According to news reports, the foundation sent him to speak to thousands of students at hundreds of schools across the country each year, each time holding up his iconic size-60 pants to illustrate his weight loss.

It was unclear Tuesday if Taylor, the foundation's only paid employee, attended any of those events.

The foundation proved successful at raising cash. According to the nonprofit's 990-EZ tax exempt form in 2013, it raised $127,276 that year from contributions, gifts and grants. The foundation spent $148,244. On just what is unclear. The largest expenditure — $96,805 — was listed as "other expenses."

Taylor earned $40,008 annually.

The tax form listed four board members who were not paid. They are Fogle, Josh Garrett, Junyang Lou and Fogle's father, Dr. Norman Fogle.

Star reporters Michael Anthony Adams, Madeline Buckley, Jill Disis, Tim Evans, Justin L. Mack, John Russell, Chris Sikich, Vic Ryckaert and Stephanie Wang and USA Today contributed to this article.