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{{Infobox Person
{{Infobox Person
|name = Jared Scott Fogle
|name = Rod Blagojevich
|birth_date = August 23, 1977
|birth_date = December 10, 1956
|birth_place = Indianapolis, Indiana
|birth_place = Chicago, Illinois
|charges = Distribution and receipt of child pornography, Traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor
|charges = Wire fraud, Attempted extortion, Soliciting bribes, Conspiracy
|sentence = 188 months
|conviction_date = June 27, 2011
|facility = FCI Englewood
|sentence = 14 years (commuted February 2020; pardoned February 2025)
|status = Incarcerated
|judge = Hon. James B. Zagel
|case_number = 1:08-cr-00888 (N.D. Ill.)
|facility = FCI Englewood (Colorado)
|status = Released / Pardoned
|release_date = February 18, 2020 (commutation)
|occupation = Former governor, podcaster, lobbyist
}}
}}
'''Jared Scott Fogle''' (born August 23, 1977) is an American former advertising spokesman and convicted sex offender who was sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for child pornography distribution and engaging in commercial sex acts with minors.<ref name="doj-sentence">U.S. Department of Justice, "Jared S. Fogle sentenced in child pornography case," November 19, 2015, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/pr/jared-s-fogle-sentenced-child-pornography-case.</ref> Fogle rose to fame in the early 2000s as the spokesman for the Subway restaurant chain after losing a substantial amount of weight on a diet that consisted largely of Subway sandwiches. His wholesome image made his downfall particularly shocking when federal authorities arrested him in July 2015 on charges related to child pornography and the sexual exploitation of minors. Fogle pleaded guilty to one count of traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and one count of distribution and receipt of child pornography, and was sentenced to 188 months (approximately 15 years and 8 months) in federal prison—three years more than prosecutors had requested and eight years more than the defense had sought.<ref name="npr-sentence">NPR, "Jared Fogle Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison For Sex With Minors, Child Pornography," November 19, 2015, https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/11/19/456622271/jared-fogle-to-learn-sentence-for-sex-with-minors-child-pornography.</ref> He is currently incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Englewood, Colorado, and is scheduled for release no earlier than March 2029.<ref name="newsweek-prison">Newsweek, "Is Jared Fogle Still in Prison? Where the Former Face of Subway Is Now," https://www.newsweek.com/jared-fogle-still-prison-where-subway-guy-now-1785933.</ref>


== Summary ==
'''Rod Blagojevich''' (born December 10, 1956) is the former Governor of Illinois. He held the office from 2003 until January 2009, when the Illinois General Assembly impeached and removed him. In 2011 a federal jury convicted him of 18 corruption counts. The charges included wire fraud, attempted extortion, soliciting bribes, and conspiracy. The most-publicized count involved his attempt to trade the appointment to Barack Obama's vacated U.S. Senate seat for personal benefit.<ref name="cnn">{{cite news |title=Trump pardons former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/10/politics/trump-pardons-rod-blagojevich |work=CNN |date=2025-02-10 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>


Jared Fogle's transformation from beloved advertising figure to convicted child sex offender represents one of the most dramatic falls from grace in American corporate history. For more than 15 years, Fogle served as the face of Subway's marketing campaigns, appearing in countless commercials and public appearances promoting the message that eating Subway sandwiches had helped him lose over 200 pounds. He became one of the most recognizable advertising pitchmen in America and was held up as an inspirational figure of personal transformation.<ref name="wfyi-sentence">WFYI, "Jared Fogle Sentenced To More Than 15 Years In Prison For Child Sex Crimes," November 19, 2015, https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/jared-fogle-sentenced-for-child-sex-crimes.</ref>
U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel sentenced Blagojevich to 14 years in federal prison in December 2011. It ranked among the longest prison terms imposed on a public official in a federal corruption case. Blagojevich reported to the Federal Correctional Institution in Englewood, Colorado, in March 2012.<ref name="capnews">{{cite news |title=Trump pardons Blagojevich 5 years after commutation cut prison time short |url=https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/trump-pardons-blagojevich-5-years-after-commutation-cut-prison-time-short/ |work=Capitol News Illinois |date=2025-02-10 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>


Behind the wholesome public image, however, Fogle was engaged in predatory behavior involving minors. Federal investigators discovered that between 2001 and 2015, Fogle received and viewed child pornography, including material produced by his associate Russell Taylor, who secretly recorded children in his home. Even more disturbing, Fogle traveled to New York City and elsewhere to engage in commercial sex acts with minors, and he sought to arrange additional encounters with underage girls. Text messages recovered by investigators showed Fogle offering to pay a teenage victim if she could find other underage girls for him to have sex with.<ref name="doj-charges">U.S. Department of Justice, "Jared Fogle charged with child pornography distribution and repeatedly engaging in commercial sex acts with minors," August 2015, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/pr/jared-fogle-charged-child-pornography-distribution-and-repeatedly-engaging-commercial.</ref>
President Donald Trump commuted the sentence on February 18, 2020. Blagojevich walked out of FCI Englewood that day after serving about eight years. The commutation cut his prison time short. It did not erase the conviction. Five years later, on February 10, 2025, Trump signed a full and unconditional pardon. That order cleared the federal record.<ref name="cnn" /><ref name="npr">{{cite news |title=Trump pardons disgraced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/02/10/g-s1-47817/trump-pardon-rod-blagojevich-illinois-corruption |work=NPR |date=2025-02-10 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>


The severity of Fogle's crimes was reflected in his sentence, which exceeded both what prosecutors recommended and what sentencing guidelines suggested. The court also ordered Fogle to pay $1.4 million in restitution to his 14 victims—the largest amount of restitution ever ordered in a child pornography or sex trafficking case in the history of the Southern District of Indiana—and to submit to a lifetime of supervised release following his imprisonment.<ref name="doj-sentence" />
== Early Life and Political Career ==


== Background ==
Milorad Blagojevich was born December 10, 1956, in Chicago. His parents, Radisa and Mila Blagojevich, came to the United States from Serbia in the years after World War II. He grew up on the city's Northwest Side. He attended Foreman High School.<ref name="capnews" />


=== Early Life ===
Blagojevich earned a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University in 1979. He completed a law degree at Pepperdine University in 1983. He worked for a time as an assistant Cook County state's attorney before entering private practice. His marriage to Patti Mell, daughter of Chicago alderman Richard Mell, connected him to the city's Democratic organization.<ref name="capnews" />


Jared Scott Fogle was born on August 23, 1977, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He attended North Central High School in Indianapolis and later enrolled at Indiana University in Bloomington. As a college student, Fogle was significantly overweight, reportedly weighing over 425 pounds at his heaviest.<ref name="allthats-fogle">All That's Interesting, "The Disturbing Story Of Jared Fogle," https://allthatsinteresting.com/jared-fogle.</ref>
He won a seat in the Illinois House of Representatives in 1992. Four years later he won a seat in the U.S. House from Illinois's 5th District. He held that seat through two re-elections.<ref name="capnews" />


=== Weight Loss and Rise to Fame ===
In 2002 Blagojevich ran for governor and won. He defeated Republican Jim Ryan. He was the first Democrat to hold the office in 26 years. He won a second term in 2006 against Republican Judy Baar Topinka. As governor he expanded a children's health insurance program and made public transit free for seniors. Federal corruption investigations shadowed the administration for much of his second term.<ref name="capnews" />


In the late 1990s, Fogle lost a substantial amount of weight—reportedly over 200 pounds—on a self-designed diet that consisted largely of Subway sandwiches. His story came to the attention of Subway's advertising agency, and in 2000, Fogle appeared in his first commercial for the sandwich chain. The "Jared Diet" became a marketing phenomenon, and Fogle was transformed into one of the most recognizable advertising spokesmen in America.<ref name="wiki-fogle">Wikipedia, "Jared Fogle," https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jared_Fogle</ref>
== Arrest and Charges ==


For the next 15 years, Fogle was the public face of Subway, appearing in hundreds of commercials and making countless public appearances on behalf of the company. He established the Jared Foundation, ostensibly to combat childhood obesity—a cause that, in light of his later crimes, took on a deeply disturbing cast. Fogle became wealthy from his Subway partnership and lived in the affluent suburb of Zionsville, Indiana, with his wife and children.<ref name="cnn-sentence">CNN Money, "Jared Fogle, Ex-Subway Pitchman, Gets 15 Years in Prison for Child Porn Charges," November 19, 2015, https://money.cnn.com/2015/11/19/news/companies/jared-fogle-jail-sentence/index.html.</ref>
Federal agents had been examining Illinois state contracting for years under an investigation known as Operation Board Games. In October 2008 the government obtained court authorization to wiretap Blagojevich's phones. Barack Obama won the presidency that November. The election left an open U.S. Senate seat that the governor would fill by appointment.<ref name="npr" />


=== Connection to Russell Taylor ===
FBI agents arrested Blagojevich at his Chicago home early on December 9, 2008. The criminal complaint described recorded conversations in which he discussed what he could get in return for the Senate appointment. In one recording he called the seat "f---ing golden" and said he would not give it away "for f---ing nothing." Prosecutors also alleged he sought to pressure the Tribune Company for favorable editorial treatment and attempted to extract a campaign contribution from a children's hospital executive in exchange for state funds.<ref name="npr" /><ref name="cnn" />


Russell Taylor was the executive director of the Jared Foundation, the nonprofit organization Fogle had established. Unbeknownst to the public, Taylor was producing child pornography by secretly recording children in his home using hidden cameras. In May 2015, Taylor was arrested on child pornography charges after his ex-wife discovered the recordings and reported him to authorities.<ref name="wiki-fogle" />
The Illinois House voted 114-1 to impeach Blagojevich on January 9, 2009. The Illinois Senate convicted him on January 29, 2009, by a vote of 59-0. The Senate removed him from office and barred him from holding state office in Illinois. He was the second governor in U.S. history removed through impeachment.<ref name="capnews" />


The investigation into Taylor led investigators to Fogle. They discovered that Taylor had shared child pornography with Fogle, and that Fogle had been aware of Taylor's activities. The investigation also revealed Fogle's own pattern of seeking commercial sex with minors—conduct entirely separate from his connection to Taylor.<ref name="doj-charges" />
== Trials and Conviction ==


== Indictment, Prosecution, and Sentencing ==
A federal grand jury returned an indictment in April 2009. The case carried 24 counts. They included wire fraud, attempted extortion, bribery, and racketeering conspiracy.<ref name="capnews" />


=== FBI Investigation and Arrest ===
The first trial ran in the summer of 2010 before Judge James B. Zagel in the Northern District of Illinois. The jury deadlocked on 23 of the 24 counts. It convicted Blagojevich on one count: lying to federal agents. Prosecutors retried the remaining charges.<ref name="capnews" />


On July 7, 2015, FBI agents and Indiana State Police investigators raided Fogle's Zionsville residence and removed computers and other electronic devices. The raid was connected to the investigation that had begun with Russell Taylor's arrest. For weeks, Fogle's fate was uncertain as investigators examined the evidence they had gathered.<ref name="wiki-fogle" />
The second trial concluded on June 27, 2011. The jury convicted Blagojevich on 17 counts. The verdict covered multiple counts of wire fraud, attempted extortion, soliciting bribes, and conspiracy. Combined with the earlier conviction, he stood guilty of 18 counts. The jury acquitted him on one count and could not reach agreement on two others.<ref name="cnn" /><ref name="npr" />


On August 19, 2015, federal prosecutors announced charges against Fogle. He was charged with one count of traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and one count of distribution and receipt of child pornography. The same day, Fogle pleaded guilty to both counts as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.<ref name="doj-charges" />
== Sentencing ==


=== The Crimes ===
Judge Zagel sentenced Blagojevich on December 7, 2011. The term was 14 years in federal prison. The judge said the harm in a corruption case of this kind fell on public trust in government. He noted that Blagojevich had shown little acceptance of responsibility. The sentence was among the longest handed to a public official in a federal corruption prosecution.<ref name="npr" /><ref name="capnews" />


The evidence against Fogle revealed a pattern of predatory behavior spanning more than a decade:
An appeal followed. In 2015 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit vacated five of the counts. The court found that one type of conduct, an offer to trade the Senate appointment for a cabinet post, fell within the bounds of routine political horse-trading. It left the bulk of the convictions intact and ordered resentencing. In August 2016 Judge Zagel reimposed the same 14-year term.<ref name="capnews" /><ref name="cnn" />


'''Child Pornography''': Between March 2001 and May 2015, Fogle received and viewed child pornography, including material provided to him by Russell Taylor. The material included both commercially produced files and homemade recordings that Taylor had created by secretly filming children in Indiana.<ref name="doj-sentence" />
== Incarceration ==


'''Commercial Sex with Minors''': In November 2012, Fogle traveled to New York City and engaged in commercial sex with a 17-year-old girl in a hotel. After the encounter, he sent the victim text messages offering to pay her a fee if she could find other underage girls to have sex with him. This was not an isolated incident—evidence suggested Fogle had sought and engaged in commercial sex with minors on multiple occasions.<ref name="doj-charges" />
Blagojevich reported to the Federal Correctional Institution in Englewood, Colorado, on March 15, 2012. FCI Englewood is a low-security facility near Denver.<ref name="capnews" />


=== Sentencing ===
He held a series of prison jobs over the years. He taught a Civil War history class to other inmates and sang in a prison band. He maintained that he had done nothing illegal. He filed appeals and clemency petitions throughout the term. His wife, Patti Blagojevich, ran a public campaign for his release and appeared on television to press the case.<ref name="abc">{{cite news |title=President Donald Trump pardons ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich 5 years after commuting his sentence |url=https://abc7chicago.com/post/president-donald-trump-expected-pardon-ex-illinois-gov-rod-blagojevich-5-years-commuting-sentence-reports/15889540/ |work=ABC7 Chicago |date=2025-02-10 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>


On November 19, 2015, U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt sentenced Fogle to 188 months (15 years and 8 months) in federal prison. The sentence was three years longer than the 12.5 years prosecutors had requested and eight years longer than the defense's request for approximately 5 years.<ref name="npr-sentence" />
== Commutation and Pardon ==


Judge Pratt's sentence reflected the court's assessment of the seriousness of Fogle's crimes and his exploitation of both the victims and his public platform. In addition to the prison term, Fogle was ordered to:
President Trump commuted Blagojevich's sentence on February 18, 2020. The order ended the prison term after about eight years. Trump told reporters the sentence had been excessive. Blagojevich left FCI Englewood the same day and flew home to Chicago. He spoke to reporters outside his house the next morning. The commutation shortened the punishment. It left the conviction on his record.<ref name="capnews" /><ref name="cnn" />


* Pay $1,400,000 in restitution to the 14 victims in the case (eight of whom were still minors), the largest amount of restitution ever ordered in a child pornography case in the Southern District of Indiana
On February 10, 2025, Trump signed a full and unconditional pardon. The pardon cleared the federal conviction. Trump described Blagojevich as a person who had been treated unfairly by prosecutors. The order applied only to the federal case. It had no effect on the 2009 state impeachment or the resulting bar on holding office in Illinois.<ref name="cnn" /><ref name="npr" />
* Forfeit assets of $50,000
* Pay a $175,000 fine
* Submit to a lifetime of supervised release following his imprisonment
* Register as a sex offender<ref name="doj-sentence" />


At sentencing, several victims addressed the court about the impact of Fogle's crimes. Fogle apologized to his victims and acknowledged that his actions were inexcusable.<ref name="abc-sentence">ABC News, "Jared Fogle Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison," November 19, 2015, https://abcnews.go.com/US/jared-fogle-sentenced-15-years-prison/story?id=35302295.</ref>
Around the time of the pardon, news reports raised the prospect of an ambassadorship to Serbia, the country his parents had emigrated from. Trump said he had not been weighing such an appointment but would consider one. Blagojevich said he had no interest in the post and dismissed the reports. In April 2025 Blagojevich registered as a lobbyist for Republika Srpska, the Bosnian Serb entity, under a contract to represent its interests in Washington.<ref name="wapo">{{cite news |title=Pardoned by Trump, Rod Blagojevich has new job: Lobbying for Bosnian Serbs |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/04/02/rod-blagojevich-bosnian-serb-lobbying/ |work=The Washington Post |date=2025-04-02 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref><ref name="nbc">{{cite news |title=Could pardoned Rod Blagojevich run for office again? What we know |url=https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/could-pardoned-rod-blagojevich-run-for-office-again-what-we-know/3671887/ |work=NBC Chicago |date=2025-02-11 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>


Russell Taylor, Fogle's co-conspirator, was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison for his role in producing and distributing child pornography.<ref name="wiki-fogle" />
The pardon restored his rights under federal law. It did not return his Illinois law license, which the state stripped in 2012. It did not lift the state office-holding ban. That bar came from the impeachment, a state proceeding a federal pardon cannot reach. Blagojevich had sued in 2021 to overturn the ban. A federal court dismissed that suit in March 2024.<ref name="nbc" /><ref name="capnews" />


== Prison Experience ==
Since his release Blagojevich has described himself as a "Trumpocrat." He backed Trump's 2020 and 2024 campaigns and appeared at the 2024 Republican National Convention. He hosted a Chicago radio program called "The Lightning Rod" from 2020 to 2021. He has said he plans to write a book and has declined to apologize for the conduct underlying the case.<ref name="abc" /><ref name="nbc" />


Fogle is serving his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Englewood, Colorado, a low-security federal prison near Denver. The facility houses male inmates and is part of a larger federal correctional complex.<ref name="newsweek-prison" />
== Frequently Asked Questions ==


Fogle will not be eligible for release until March 24, 2029, at the earliest, after serving a minimum of 13 years of his sentence. Upon release, he will be subject to lifetime supervision and sex offender registration requirements.<ref name="newsweek-prison" />
{{FAQSection/Start}}


== Public Statements and Positions ==
{{FAQ
|question = What was Rod Blagojevich convicted of?
|answer = A federal jury convicted Blagojevich of 18 corruption counts across two trials, in 2010 and 2011. The counts included wire fraud, attempted extortion, soliciting bribes, and conspiracy. The best-known charge involved his attempt to obtain personal benefit in return for appointing someone to the U.S. Senate seat that Barack Obama vacated when he was elected president.
}}


At his guilty plea and sentencing, Fogle acknowledged his crimes and expressed remorse. "I'm so sorry," he told the court at sentencing. However, his apology was overshadowed by the severity of his conduct and the court's determination that a significant prison sentence was warranted.
{{FAQ
 
|question = How long was Rod Blagojevich sentenced to?
Subway terminated its relationship with Fogle immediately upon learning of the investigation in July 2015. The company issued statements expressing shock and horror at the revelations about its longtime spokesman. The Jared Foundation was dissolved.<ref name="nbc-sentence">NBC News, "Jared Fogle, Ex-Subway Pitchman, Pleads Guilty to Child Porn, Sex Crimes," August 2015, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jared-fogle-ex-subway-pitchman-pleads-guilty-child-porn-sex-n466256.</ref>
|answer = U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel sentenced Blagojevich to 14 years in federal prison on December 7, 2011. After an appeal vacated several counts, Judge Zagel reimposed the same 14-year term in August 2016. It was among the longest prison sentences given to a public official in a federal corruption case.
 
}}
== Terminology ==
 
* '''Child Pornography''': Visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct involving minors, the production, distribution, and possession of which are federal crimes.
 
* '''Sex Trafficking of Minors''': The recruitment, harboring, transportation, or obtaining of a minor for commercial sex acts.
 
* '''Restitution''': Court-ordered payment from the offender to victims to compensate for harm caused by the crime.
 
* '''Supervised Release''': A period of supervision following release from federal prison, during which the offender must comply with specified conditions.
 
== See also ==
 
* [[Ghislaine_Maxwell|Ghislaine Maxwell]]
* [[Prison_Consultants|Prison Consultants]]
 
 
== Frequently Asked Questions ==
{{FAQSection/Start}}


{{FAQ
{{FAQ
|question = Why did Jared Fogle go to prison?
|question = Was Rod Blagojevich's sentence commuted?
|answer = Fogle pleaded guilty in August 2015 to distribution and receipt of child pornography and traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. He admitted to receiving child pornography, knowing that it was produced using minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and to traveling across state lines to pay for sex with minors. The investigation revealed that Fogle paid for sex with minors at least 13 times between 2007 and 2015.
|answer = Yes. President Donald Trump commuted the sentence on February 18, 2020. Blagojevich was released from the Federal Correctional Institution in Englewood, Colorado, that day after serving about eight years. A commutation ends a sentence but leaves the conviction in place.
}}
}}


{{FAQ
{{FAQ
|question = How long is Jared Fogle's prison sentence?
|question = Was Rod Blagojevich pardoned?
|answer = Fogle was sentenced to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison in November 2015. He was also ordered to pay $1.4 million in restitution to 14 victims—$100,000 to each victim. He must register as a sex offender upon release and will be subject to supervised release for the rest of his life. His projected release date is approximately 2029.
|answer = Yes. On February 10, 2025, President Trump signed a full and unconditional pardon. The commutation in 2020 had ended his prison term, and the 2025 pardon cleared the federal conviction itself. The pardon did not affect his 2009 state impeachment or the Illinois ban on holding state office.
}}
}}


{{FAQ
{{FAQ
|question = What prison is Jared Fogle in?
|question = How long did Rod Blagojevich spend in prison?
|answer = Fogle is currently incarcerated at FCI Englewood, a low-security federal correctional institution in Colorado. He has been attacked multiple times by other inmates during his incarceration due to the nature of his crimes, which are particularly despised by other prisoners.
|answer = Blagojevich served about eight years. He reported to FCI Englewood in Colorado on March 15, 2012, and was released on February 18, 2020, when President Trump commuted his 14-year sentence.
}}
}}


{{FAQ
{{FAQ
|question = Who was Jared Fogle before his arrest?
|question = Can Rod Blagojevich hold office in Illinois again?
|answer = Fogle was the longtime spokesman for Subway restaurants, famous for his story of losing over 200 pounds by eating Subway sandwiches. He became one of the most recognizable advertising figures in America, appearing in commercials for the company from 2000 to 2015. His association with the brand ended immediately upon his arrest, and Subway severed all ties with him.
|answer = No. The Illinois Senate barred him from holding state office when it removed him in January 2009. A presidential pardon covers federal convictions and cannot undo a state impeachment. He sued in 2021 to overturn the ban, and a federal court dismissed the suit in March 2024.
}}
}}


{{FAQ
{{FAQ
|question = How was Jared Fogle caught?
|question = What is Rod Blagojevich doing now?
|answer = Fogle was caught through an investigation that began with the arrest of Russell Taylor, the executive director of the Jared Foundation, a nonprofit Fogle founded to fight childhood obesity. Taylor was arrested for producing child pornography, and the investigation expanded to Fogle. A journalist named Rochelle Herman-Walrond also provided the FBI with recordings she had secretly made of Fogle over several years, during which he made incriminating statements about his interest in minors.
|answer = After his release Blagojevich hosted a Chicago radio program from 2020 to 2021 and became a public supporter of Donald Trump. In April 2025 he registered as a lobbyist for Republika Srpska, the Bosnian Serb entity. He has said he plans to write a book.
}}
}}
{{FAQSection/End}}
{{FAQSection/End}}


== See also ==
* [[Presidential_Clemency_and_Pardons|Presidential Clemency and Pardons]]
* [[Wire_Fraud|Wire Fraud]]
* [[Public_Corruption_Charges|Public Corruption]]


== References ==
== References ==
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<references />
<references />


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{{MetaDescription|Learn about Rod Blagojevich's federal case, conviction, and prison experience on Prisonpedia.}}
{{MetaDescription|Rod Blagojevich, former Illinois governor, was convicted of 18 federal corruption counts and sentenced to 14 years. Trump commuted the sentence in 2020 and granted a full pardon in 2025.}}

Latest revision as of 13:01, 3 June 2026

Rod Blagojevich
Born: December 10, 1956
Chicago, Illinois
Charges: Wire fraud, Attempted extortion, Soliciting bribes, Conspiracy
Sentence: 14 years (commuted February 2020; pardoned February 2025)
Facility: FCI Englewood (Colorado)
Status: Released / Pardoned


Rod Blagojevich (born December 10, 1956) is the former Governor of Illinois. He held the office from 2003 until January 2009, when the Illinois General Assembly impeached and removed him. In 2011 a federal jury convicted him of 18 corruption counts. The charges included wire fraud, attempted extortion, soliciting bribes, and conspiracy. The most-publicized count involved his attempt to trade the appointment to Barack Obama's vacated U.S. Senate seat for personal benefit.[1]

U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel sentenced Blagojevich to 14 years in federal prison in December 2011. It ranked among the longest prison terms imposed on a public official in a federal corruption case. Blagojevich reported to the Federal Correctional Institution in Englewood, Colorado, in March 2012.[2]

President Donald Trump commuted the sentence on February 18, 2020. Blagojevich walked out of FCI Englewood that day after serving about eight years. The commutation cut his prison time short. It did not erase the conviction. Five years later, on February 10, 2025, Trump signed a full and unconditional pardon. That order cleared the federal record.[1][3]

Early Life and Political Career

Milorad Blagojevich was born December 10, 1956, in Chicago. His parents, Radisa and Mila Blagojevich, came to the United States from Serbia in the years after World War II. He grew up on the city's Northwest Side. He attended Foreman High School.[2]

Blagojevich earned a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University in 1979. He completed a law degree at Pepperdine University in 1983. He worked for a time as an assistant Cook County state's attorney before entering private practice. His marriage to Patti Mell, daughter of Chicago alderman Richard Mell, connected him to the city's Democratic organization.[2]

He won a seat in the Illinois House of Representatives in 1992. Four years later he won a seat in the U.S. House from Illinois's 5th District. He held that seat through two re-elections.[2]

In 2002 Blagojevich ran for governor and won. He defeated Republican Jim Ryan. He was the first Democrat to hold the office in 26 years. He won a second term in 2006 against Republican Judy Baar Topinka. As governor he expanded a children's health insurance program and made public transit free for seniors. Federal corruption investigations shadowed the administration for much of his second term.[2]

Arrest and Charges

Federal agents had been examining Illinois state contracting for years under an investigation known as Operation Board Games. In October 2008 the government obtained court authorization to wiretap Blagojevich's phones. Barack Obama won the presidency that November. The election left an open U.S. Senate seat that the governor would fill by appointment.[3]

FBI agents arrested Blagojevich at his Chicago home early on December 9, 2008. The criminal complaint described recorded conversations in which he discussed what he could get in return for the Senate appointment. In one recording he called the seat "f---ing golden" and said he would not give it away "for f---ing nothing." Prosecutors also alleged he sought to pressure the Tribune Company for favorable editorial treatment and attempted to extract a campaign contribution from a children's hospital executive in exchange for state funds.[3][1]

The Illinois House voted 114-1 to impeach Blagojevich on January 9, 2009. The Illinois Senate convicted him on January 29, 2009, by a vote of 59-0. The Senate removed him from office and barred him from holding state office in Illinois. He was the second governor in U.S. history removed through impeachment.[2]

Trials and Conviction

A federal grand jury returned an indictment in April 2009. The case carried 24 counts. They included wire fraud, attempted extortion, bribery, and racketeering conspiracy.[2]

The first trial ran in the summer of 2010 before Judge James B. Zagel in the Northern District of Illinois. The jury deadlocked on 23 of the 24 counts. It convicted Blagojevich on one count: lying to federal agents. Prosecutors retried the remaining charges.[2]

The second trial concluded on June 27, 2011. The jury convicted Blagojevich on 17 counts. The verdict covered multiple counts of wire fraud, attempted extortion, soliciting bribes, and conspiracy. Combined with the earlier conviction, he stood guilty of 18 counts. The jury acquitted him on one count and could not reach agreement on two others.[1][3]

Sentencing

Judge Zagel sentenced Blagojevich on December 7, 2011. The term was 14 years in federal prison. The judge said the harm in a corruption case of this kind fell on public trust in government. He noted that Blagojevich had shown little acceptance of responsibility. The sentence was among the longest handed to a public official in a federal corruption prosecution.[3][2]

An appeal followed. In 2015 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit vacated five of the counts. The court found that one type of conduct, an offer to trade the Senate appointment for a cabinet post, fell within the bounds of routine political horse-trading. It left the bulk of the convictions intact and ordered resentencing. In August 2016 Judge Zagel reimposed the same 14-year term.[2][1]

Incarceration

Blagojevich reported to the Federal Correctional Institution in Englewood, Colorado, on March 15, 2012. FCI Englewood is a low-security facility near Denver.[2]

He held a series of prison jobs over the years. He taught a Civil War history class to other inmates and sang in a prison band. He maintained that he had done nothing illegal. He filed appeals and clemency petitions throughout the term. His wife, Patti Blagojevich, ran a public campaign for his release and appeared on television to press the case.[4]

Commutation and Pardon

President Trump commuted Blagojevich's sentence on February 18, 2020. The order ended the prison term after about eight years. Trump told reporters the sentence had been excessive. Blagojevich left FCI Englewood the same day and flew home to Chicago. He spoke to reporters outside his house the next morning. The commutation shortened the punishment. It left the conviction on his record.[2][1]

On February 10, 2025, Trump signed a full and unconditional pardon. The pardon cleared the federal conviction. Trump described Blagojevich as a person who had been treated unfairly by prosecutors. The order applied only to the federal case. It had no effect on the 2009 state impeachment or the resulting bar on holding office in Illinois.[1][3]

Around the time of the pardon, news reports raised the prospect of an ambassadorship to Serbia, the country his parents had emigrated from. Trump said he had not been weighing such an appointment but would consider one. Blagojevich said he had no interest in the post and dismissed the reports. In April 2025 Blagojevich registered as a lobbyist for Republika Srpska, the Bosnian Serb entity, under a contract to represent its interests in Washington.[5][6]

The pardon restored his rights under federal law. It did not return his Illinois law license, which the state stripped in 2012. It did not lift the state office-holding ban. That bar came from the impeachment, a state proceeding a federal pardon cannot reach. Blagojevich had sued in 2021 to overturn the ban. A federal court dismissed that suit in March 2024.[6][2]

Since his release Blagojevich has described himself as a "Trumpocrat." He backed Trump's 2020 and 2024 campaigns and appeared at the 2024 Republican National Convention. He hosted a Chicago radio program called "The Lightning Rod" from 2020 to 2021. He has said he plans to write a book and has declined to apologize for the conduct underlying the case.[4][6]

Frequently Asked Questions


Q: What was Rod Blagojevich convicted of?

A federal jury convicted Blagojevich of 18 corruption counts across two trials, in 2010 and 2011. The counts included wire fraud, attempted extortion, soliciting bribes, and conspiracy. The best-known charge involved his attempt to obtain personal benefit in return for appointing someone to the U.S. Senate seat that Barack Obama vacated when he was elected president.



Q: How long was Rod Blagojevich sentenced to?

U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel sentenced Blagojevich to 14 years in federal prison on December 7, 2011. After an appeal vacated several counts, Judge Zagel reimposed the same 14-year term in August 2016. It was among the longest prison sentences given to a public official in a federal corruption case.



Q: Was Rod Blagojevich's sentence commuted?

Yes. President Donald Trump commuted the sentence on February 18, 2020. Blagojevich was released from the Federal Correctional Institution in Englewood, Colorado, that day after serving about eight years. A commutation ends a sentence but leaves the conviction in place.



Q: Was Rod Blagojevich pardoned?

Yes. On February 10, 2025, President Trump signed a full and unconditional pardon. The commutation in 2020 had ended his prison term, and the 2025 pardon cleared the federal conviction itself. The pardon did not affect his 2009 state impeachment or the Illinois ban on holding state office.



Q: How long did Rod Blagojevich spend in prison?

Blagojevich served about eight years. He reported to FCI Englewood in Colorado on March 15, 2012, and was released on February 18, 2020, when President Trump commuted his 14-year sentence.



Q: Can Rod Blagojevich hold office in Illinois again?

No. The Illinois Senate barred him from holding state office when it removed him in January 2009. A presidential pardon covers federal convictions and cannot undo a state impeachment. He sued in 2021 to overturn the ban, and a federal court dismissed the suit in March 2024.



Q: What is Rod Blagojevich doing now?

After his release Blagojevich hosted a Chicago radio program from 2020 to 2021 and became a public supporter of Donald Trump. In April 2025 he registered as a lobbyist for Republika Srpska, the Bosnian Serb entity. He has said he plans to write a book.


See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Trump pardons former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich".CNN.2025-02-10.Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 "Trump pardons Blagojevich 5 years after commutation cut prison time short".Capitol News Illinois.2025-02-10.Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "Trump pardons disgraced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich".NPR.2025-02-10.Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "President Donald Trump pardons ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich 5 years after commuting his sentence".ABC7 Chicago.2025-02-10.Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  5. ↑ "Pardoned by Trump, Rod Blagojevich has new job: Lobbying for Bosnian Serbs".The Washington Post.2025-04-02.Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Could pardoned Rod Blagojevich run for office again? What we know".NBC Chicago.2025-02-11.Retrieved 2026-06-03.


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