Jared Fogle Had ‘Psychologically Abusive Relationship’ With Foundation Director, Court Papers Say

Disgraced Subway spokesman would call himself Russell Taylor’s “daddy,” filing claims

Russell Taylor is shown in a booking photo and Jared Fogle along with other icons of advertising ring the closing bell at NASDAQ MarketSite on September 23, 2013 in New York City. (Getty Images)
Indiana State Police/Getty Images

Jared Fogle had a “psychologically abusive relationship” with Russell Taylor, the former executive director of Fogle’s Jared Foundation, in which Fogle would refer to himself as Taylor’s “daddy,” according to court papers filed in federal court in Indiana on Friday.

The claims came to light in a filing regarding the sentencing for Taylor, who has agreed to plead guilty to 12 counts of child exploitation and one count of child pornography.

The sentencing memorandum claims that Fogle had a “controlling influence” over Taylor (pictured above left), and would “remind him frequently that he controlled his employment and his home.

“Mr. Fogle would refer to himself as Mr. Taylor’s ‘daddy’ and there would be discussion of how much Mr. Taylor loved ‘daddy’ and reminding him that ‘daddy’ was paying for his things,” the document reads.

Almost as shockingly, the memorandum claims that Fogle “would even go as far as making Mr. Taylor eat things that were inconsistent with his gluten intolerance.”

The filing also claims that Taylor, now 44, was sexually assaulted on a regular basis as a youth by a neighbor and the neighbor’s son, and that he “suffers from a history of mental illness that likely dates back to the trauma he suffered as a child.”

Taylor’s attorneys are requesting a sentence in the range of 15 and 22.8 years.

Prosecutors are reportedly asking for a 35-year sentence, though the sentencing judge is not bound by either of those requests.

In November, former Subway pitchman Fogle was sentenced to 15.6 years  in prison for conspiracy to receive child pornography and traveling to have sex with a minor.

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.

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