School images firm Lifetouch will get blended up in Epstein recordsdata: Local districts reply

School images firm Lifetouch will get blended up in Epstein recordsdata: Local districts reply

Published 5:30 am Saturday, February 21, 2026

Leaders of East Texas college districts are evaluating their contracts with college images firm Lifetouch following public scrutiny of the corporate possession’s alleged ties with Jeffrey Epstein.

The controversy stems from a attainable monetary connection between Leon Black, the previous CEO of Lifetouch’s father or mother agency, and Epstein, the convicted little one intercourse offender who died by suicide in 2019.

Following the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act in late 2025, mandating the discharge of tens of millions of beforehand sealed Department of Justice information, and the current 3.5 million-page “document dump” of the recordsdata, scrutiny has centered on any entities with ties to Epstein.

Documents don’t present a direct hyperlink between Lifetouch and Epstein, however Black was just lately talked about within the newly launched recordsdata.

About Lifetouch

Founded in 1936 as National School Studios and headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Lifetouch is without doubt one of the most acknowledged names in skilled images. The firm serves 1000’s of colleges nationwide by way of its Okay-12 pupil images, sports activities and yearbook divisions.

The firm additionally maintains a partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, offering “SmileSafe” picture ID playing cards to households without charge.

The present backlash stems from a sequence of high-dollar acquisitions. Shutterfly acquired Lifetouch in 2018 for $825 million; in September 2019, the personal fairness agency Apollo Global Management bought Shutterfly — and by extension, Lifetouch — for roughly $2.7 billion. Epstein, nonetheless, had been useless for a month by the point the transaction was closed.

Black, who was CEO of Apollo throughout these acquisitions, resigned in 2021 following an investigation into his private monetary dealings with Epstein. The investigation revealed Black paid Epstein $158 million for tax and property planning providers between 2012 and 2017 — funds made after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor in Florida.

Black has frequently denied all allegations of misconduct and has since distanced himself from Epstein, stating that he “deeply” regrets any involvement with the deceased intercourse offender, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

Lifetouch responds

Lifetouch leaders issued a press release clarifying that the corporate just isn’t named within the Epstein recordsdata and that Black by no means had entry to pupil photographs or each day operations.

“When Lifetouch photographers take your student’s picture, that image is safeguarded for families and schools only, with no exceptions,” stated Ken Murphy, CEO of Lifetouch.

The firm emphasised that it complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and doesn’t share or promote pupil photographs to coach AI fashions or facial recognition expertise.

“At Lifetouch, student safety goes beyond the camera lens. As a trusted partner to schools for 90 years, we’re committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of every student we serve. When Lifetouch photographers take your student’s picture, that image is safeguarded for families and schools, only, with no exceptions. Lifetouch does not — and has never provided — images to any third party.”

Fact-checking

Was Lifetouch instantly linked to the Epstein recordsdata? In brief, no.

As unbiased reality checkers level out, the hyperlink is contextual and the one relationship is thru the possession chain connecting Shutterfly to Apollo Global Management and an affiliation of an Apollo co-founder. No Epstein doc alleges Lifetouch was concerned in felony exercise or that picture recordsdata had been shared with Epstein.

In its assertion, Apollo administration clarified the connection between Lifetouch.

“Funds managed by subsidiaries of Apollo Global Management are investors in Shutterfly, the parent company of Lifetouch,” the corporate stated. “Neither Apollo nor its funds are involved in the day-to-day operations of Lifetouch, and therefore no one employed by Apollo has ever had access to any student images.”

Local districts take motion

While it is a corporate-level connection and never a direct involvement, the notion of threat has sparked motion on the native degree.

Many dad and mom have stated they need their faculties to chop ties with Lifetouch. Locally, some districts have introduced plans both to briefly droop contracts with Lifetouch or terminate them altogether. Other districts already weren’t working with Lifetouch.

White Oak ISD and Pine Tree ISD don’t use Lifetouch’s providers.

Longview ISD

In a press release Friday, Longview ISD officers stated: “Longview ISD is aware of recent information circulating regarding Lifetouch photography services. The majority of Longview ISD campuses already use other photography vendors. The district is reviewing available information and is providing campus principals with alternative photography vendor options for upcoming student pictures. Student safety and privacy remain priorities in all district decisions.”

Spring Hill ISD

Spring Hill ISD Superintendent Penny Fleet stated in a press release Tuesday: “Spring Hill ISD is aware of recent concerns regarding Lifetouch and the district’s use of their photography services. In light of these concerns, this situation is under review. As with all school vendors, the district expects strict adherence to student safety protocols and data privacy standards. Please know that student safety — both physically and digitally — remains the highest priority of SHISD”

Gladewater ISD

In a Facebook publish Monday, Gladewater ISD officers stated Superintendent Rae Ann Patty is reviewing the district’s affiliation with Lifetouch, and all Lifetouch images providers have been suspended in the course of the assessment.

“We are doing a thorough review of our contract because the fall pictures are used in the yearbook and many other projects,” officers stated. “We want to make sure we keep our students’ information safe while trying to make sure we provide photo opportunities for the remainder of the year. We have begun the vetting process for a new vendor for the remainder of this year and in the future.”

— masslive.com contributed to this report.