gavel on money

A total of $1 million dollars has been distributed to 10 victims of former Subway Pitchman Jared Fogle, with each victim reportedly receiving $100,000 in restitution. Four other victims could receive their restitution payments within the next month or so, satisfying the $1.4 million restitution payment Fogle agreed to pay 14 victims as part of the plea deal he made with federal prosecutors back in August.

Given that Fogle is scheduled to be formally sentenced for child sex abuse and child sexual assault material crimes next month, the early restitution payments are notable, prosecutors have pointed out. However, the fact that Fogle is wealthy and has the money to pay up so soon should not mitigate the penalties he ends up facing for his crimes, some have noted.

Savage Law Firm’s Attorney Carol Hepburn elucidated this concern, explaining, “I would hope that justice is equal for those who have money, as well as those who don’t.”

Fogle’s sentencing hearing is currently scheduled to take place on Thursday, Nov. 19th. As part of the plea deal in place, prosecutors have agreed to seek a prison sentence that does not exceed 12.5 years, and Fogle has agreed to ask for no less than 5 years.

Background on Fogle’s Crimes

While Fogle has enjoyed the limelight as a Subway pitchman for more than 15 years, the hammer started to fall this past July when federal authorities, acting on tips, raided Fogle’s Indianapolis home. Findings from Fogle’s home, as well as from further investigations, ultimately revealed that Fogle had:

  • Engaged in multiple sexual encounters with underage girls
  • Received child sexual assault material, including photos and videos of at least 12 youths, some of whom were as young as 13 and 14 years old
  • Failed to alert the authorities that the head of his charity, Russell Taylor, had been producing and distributing child sexual assault material (some of which Fogle was in possession of during the July raid of his home).

Within about a month or two of the raid of Fogle’s home, Fogle had worked out a plea deal with federal prosecutors. At that time, Jeremy Margolis, Fogle’s attorney, had issued a statement on Jared’s behalf, noting that:

Jared fully recognizes that such monetary contribution will not undo the harm he has caused [but remains hopeful that restitution will help] these individuals as they try to move forward with their lives.

How Restitution Can Help Child Sex Abuse Victims

In child sex abuse cases like this one, restitution for victims can be pivotal to helping them move forward and start focusing on healing. In fact, as Carol Hepburn explained in discussing Fogle’s restitution payments, it can be exceedingly difficult for child sexual assault material victims to recover from the trauma they have experienced.

This is because, for these victims, time doesn’t necessarily create distance from the crime, Hepburn has pointed out. This is because the materials documenting the abuse continue to circulate online, creating the terrifying possibility that friends, colleagues or others could discover these online.

“Imagine your most humiliating and shameful and terrifying experience and having not only pictures but videos of that up on the Internet? It’s a very chilling prospect,” Hepburn has noted.

With the payment of restitution, however, victims can get the ongoing help they need to deal with the abuse they have endured and to start gradually overcoming it.

For ABC coverage of this story, click here.

UPDATE: The 11th victim has received restitution from Fogle as of Oct. 26, 2015. Commenting on the progress of these restitution payments, Attorney Carol Hepburn explained to PEOPLE magazine that this money “is a tremendous thing for these victims… The fact that a judge recognized that they’ve been harmed, that’s tremendous emotional affirmation that means a lot.” For more of PEOPLE’s coverage of this story, click here.

Contact an Experienced Portland Child Sex Abuse Lawyer at the Savage Law Firm

If you or a loved one has been the target of child sex abuse or the subject of child sexual assault material, contact a trusted Portland child sex abuse lawyer at the Savage Law Firm for vigorous legal advocacy and experienced help pursuing justice and financial recovery.

At the Savage Law Firm, we understand that no amount of money can ever make up for childhood sexual abuse and exploitation. However, we also know that helping abuse survivors obtain compensation from their abusers and the people who possess images of them can be crucial to helping them obtain a sense of justice, as well as financial support to pay for necessary treatments.

Call us at 503-222-0200 (in Portland) or at 206-957-7272 (in Seattle). You can also email us using the form on this page. From our offices in Portland and Seattle, we represent clients nationwide.