Some US school districts have scrapped classroom photo programs after news spread on social media linking billionaire Jeffrey Epstein to photography giant Lifetouch, which on Friday called the allegations “absolutely false.”
The disruption of school photo programs in Texas and elsewhere began after an online post linked Lifetouch, which photographs millions of students each year, to investment fund manager Apollo Global Management.
Apollo’s former CEO is billionaire investor Leon Black, who met regularly with Epstein and advised Epstein on financial matters.
Black led the company in 2019, when funds held by Apollo bought Lifetouch’s parent company, Shutterfly.
The $2.7 billion deal was closed in September 2019 — a month after Epstein died by suicide in prison as he awaited trial on federal prosecutors’ allegations that he sexually assaulted and trafficked dozens of girls.
Both Lifetouch and Apollo noted that timeline in statements Friday, two days after Lifetouch CEO Ken Murphy said in an Instagram post that none of the black directors or investors had access to Lifetouch’s photos.
“None of the Lifetouch administrators had any relationship or contact with Epstein and we never shared student photos with any third party, including Apollo,” Lifetouch said in a statement Friday. “Apollo and its funds have no role in the day-to-day operations of Lifetouch and have no access to student photos.”
The canceled school photos are another fallout from the release of millions of files in the Epstein investigation, including documents showing Epstein’s frequent contacts with CEOs, journalists, scientists and prominent politicians long after his 2008 sex crime conviction.
In the small Texas town of Malakoff, the local school district canceled student photo day after several parents told the district they were uncomfortable with their children taking Lifetouch photos, department spokeswoman Katherine Smith said in an emailed statement Friday.
Several other schools and districts in Texas have also canceled or changed plans, as well as a charter school in Arizona, according to Facebook announcements posted by the schools.
“We have decided that our students and families will be best served by keeping all of our images in-house until the end of this year, and we are looking at all of our options for the 2026-2027 school year,” Smith said.
Parents concerned about Lifetiuch included Kallie Gann, whose children attend schools in Howe, about 60 miles north of Dallas. He said he is concerned about how much information Lifetouch collects on students.
“Every time you order pictures, they have their name, age, of course. It has their grade, their teacher, the school they are in,” she said.
No evidence that Epstein or anyone on his trail saw the Lifetouch images emerged in a news agency review of thousands of documents released this month by the US Department of Justice, even though there are at least 1.7 million records.
The review shows that Black’s name appeared 8,200 times, although that number may include duplicate records. Black is stepping down as CEO of Apollo in March 2021, saying he wants to focus on his family, health and “many other interests.”
That was two months after a committee of the company’s board issued a report concluding that Epstein had personally advised Black on estate planning, tax matters, giving and managing his “family office,” but had not provided assistance to Apollo or invested in Apollo funds.
The report also said the review – requested by Black – has “no evidence” that he was involved in Epstein’s criminal activities “in any way” or “at any time.” _____
Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Associated Press writer Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota contributed.
