Late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is seen in a bathtub in this handout image from his estate, released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee on December 12, 2025. House Oversight Committee Democrats/Handout via REUTERS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY
(New York, New York) – Several school districts across the United States have canceled or postponed class picture days after viral social media posts linked school photography company Lifetouch to a billionaire with ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
The controversy stems from online claims connecting Lifetouch to Apollo Global Management, whose former CEO, billionaire investor Leon Black, had professional dealings with Epstein years ago. Black led Apollo in 2019 when funds managed by the firm acquired Lifetouch’s parent company, Shutterfly, in a $2.7 billion deal.
Epstein died in jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
Lifetouch strongly denied the claims in a statement Friday, calling them “completely false.” The company said neither Black nor Apollo executives ever had access to student images and that no Lifetouch executives had any relationship or contact with Epstein.
“Apollo and its funds have no role in Lifetouch’s daily operations and have no access to student images,” the company said.
Despite the denials, some districts acted quickly. In Malakoff, Texas, the local school district canceled a scheduled picture day after parents expressed concerns about Lifetouch photographing their children. Other districts in Texas and a charter school in Arizona also reportedly changed or scrapped picture plans.
Parents who voiced concerns cited worries about student data collection, including names, grade levels, teachers, and school information tied to photo orders.
There has been no evidence linking Epstein — or anyone in his orbit — to access to Lifetouch images, according to reviews of documents recently released by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Still, the cancellations mark another ripple effect from the renewed scrutiny surrounding Epstein’s associations and the release of investigative records.
