Education

Is a photo company used by NC schools tied to the Epstein files? What to know

[Key Takeaways]

AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.

• Some North Carolina parents urge schools to drop Lifetouch over alleged Epstein ties.
• Lifetouch denies Epstein ties and says Apollo never accessed student images.
• At least 10 US districts paused or canceled contracts; others are reviewing agreements

Schools across the country — including in North Carolina – are getting calls to end contracts with Lifetouch because of claims linking the school photography company to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Viral social media posts and multiple online petitions have cited how Leon Black, an associate of Epstein’s, is the former CEO of the investment firm that owns Lifetouch’s parent company. Lifetouch has denied any connection to Epstein, but it’s not enough for some parents worried about the possibility of their children’s photos being misused.

“I urge the state of North Carolina and its school districts to terminate all contracts with Lifetouch Photography immediately,” Wake Forest parent Lindsay Kalmus wrote in a Change.org petition she created. “We need to procure services from companies that are not only exceptional in their field but also uncompromised by a tainted associativity.

“We have the responsibility to act decisively and safeguard our children’s environment, ensuring it remains free from any shadow of unethical influence.”

More than 40 Change.org petitions have been created nationwide about Lifetouch since the U.S. Department of Justice released more than 3 million pages from the Epstein files on Jan. 30.

Lifetouch says it’s victim of ‘misinformation’

Lifetouch is not mentioned in any of the newly released Epstein files. But Black is mentioned thousands of times.

The various petitions and social media posts say Black’s relationship with Epstein casts a shadow over any company Black was involved with, especially ones dealing with children. Black was CEO of Apollo Global Management in September 2019 when it bought Shutterfly, the parent company of Lifetouch.

In response to what it calls “misinformation,” Lifetouch issued a statement saying it has never released student images to any third parties.

“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,” Ken Murphy, the CEO of LIfetouch, said in a statement.

On a FAQ on its website, Lifetouch also notes that Apollo acquired Shutterfly after Epstein’s death.

“The claims of any relationship between Epstein and Lifetouch are completely false,” according to Lifetouch. “This is an online social media conspiracy, with no basis in facts.”

Debunking connections between Epstein, Lifetouch

Fact-checking websites like Snopes.com have also come out to debunk any connections.

“It strains credulity to believe that Black — or any other Apollo executive — accessed Lifetouch’s repository of school pictures without some sort of coordination with Lifetouch, and there’s no credible evidence that Lifetouch or its direct leadership worked closely with Epstein in any capacity,” Snopes said in its fact check.

Kalmus isn’t convinced though because Black still retains financial holdings in Apollo. Kalmus said she doesn’t want to put any money in Black’s pockets.

“What we need to do as parents is we need to hit them where it’s going to hurt, which is going to be their wallet,” Kalmus said in an interview with The News & Observer. “So even though Lifetouch has made a statement that they didn’t have anything to do with Epstein, it’s still that connection that bothers me.”

Some schools end contracts with Lifetouch

At least 10 school districts across four states have canceled or paused their contracts with Lifetouch and other districts have announced they’re reviewing their contracts, NBC News reported.

It’s unclear how many, if any, North Carolina schools may be cutting ties with Lifetouch. Kalmus said so many parents are likely to balk at letting Lifetouch take their child’s photo that she expects schools will have to change companies.

In Wake County, the school district said school photography vendor selection is a school-level decision. The district said any agreements schools may have with Lifetouch are limited to the provision of school photography services.

“Schools and parents are having conversations with their school communities about what they need in a photography contract and how they want to move forward,” the district said in a statement. “We encourage parents who have questions or concerns to reach out to their child’s principal.”

This story was originally published February 20, 2026 at 3:27 PM.