NEW YORK — A former franchisee alerted a Subway advertising executive in 2008 about her concerns about pitchman Jared Fogle, according to her lawyer.

Cindy Mills exchanged phone numbers with Fogle after they met at an event, said Robert Beasley, an attorney in Florida who represents Mills. After Fogle began talking about paying for sex with minors, the lawyer said, Mills alerted a regional Subway contact in Florida where her business was based.

Later, he said, Mills alerted Jeff Moody, who was in charge of the Subway Franchisee Advertising Fund Trust, which handles the company’s marketing.

Subway has said it does not have a record of the complaints by the former franchisee about Fogle, which were previously reported by Business Insider. The publication initially kept Mills’ identity anonymous at her request, but identified her Thursday. It also identified Moody as the Subway executive she alerted.

Beasley said Mills became comfortable about coming forward after Fogle agreed on Aug. 19 to plead guilty to allegations that he paid for sex with girls as young as 16 and received child pornography.

According to Beasley:

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 Mills offered to show Moody the texts from Fogle, but Moody stopped her and said he didn’t want to hear any more.

Moody said he had dealt with similar comments, and reassured Mills that Fogle had met a teacher who would get him grounded.

“To me, it was confirmation that they knew about it,” Beasley said.

Beasley said Mills explored the idea of suing Subway, but the company is structured in such a way that there is a “good bit of legal separation between Jared and Subway.”


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