School districts across the United States are canceling or reconsidering their picture day plans following viral social media posts linking Lifetouch, the nation’s largest school photography company, to a billionaire with ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
At least 10 districts in four states have paused or canceled contracts with Lifetouch after online claims connected the company to Leon Black, former CEO of Apollo Global Management. Black’s name appears thousands of times in recently released Department of Justice files on Epstein.
The controversy centers on Apollo’s 2019 acquisition of Shutterfly, Lifetouch’s parent company, for $2.7 billion. The deal closed in September 2019, approximately one month after Epstein died by suicide while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
Lifetouch, which photographs more than 25 million students annually at over 50,000 schools, has strongly denied any connection to Epstein.
“No Lifetouch executives have ever had any relationship or contact with Epstein and we have never shared student images with any third party, including Apollo,” the company said in a statement. “Apollo and its funds also have no role in Lifetouch’s daily operations and have no access to student images.”
Despite these assurances, parents in multiple communities have expressed concerns about their children’s photos potentially being connected to anyone in Epstein’s orbit.
The social media posts linking Lifetouch to Epstein began gaining traction in early February. Some posts contained identical language urging parents to “Ask questions” and “Protect your kids.” One post on X received 1.4 million views.
While no evidence has emerged that children’s photos were accessed inappropriately, the controversy highlights how the Epstein case continues to create ripple effects years after his death.
The connection between Black and Epstein dates back to at least 2001, when Epstein served as director of Black’s family foundation. Documents show the two met regularly and that Black received financial advice from Epstein. Black stepped down as Apollo’s CEO in March 2021, citing health problems that he said were exacerbated by public scrutiny over his dealings with Epstein.
The controversy comes as the public continues to process information from millions of files released by the Department of Justice related to Epstein’s case, showing his extensive network of contacts with CEOs, journalists, scientists, and politicians long after his 2008 conviction on sex crimes charges.
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