A Philadelphia-area school district may soon drop photography company Lifetouch for school picture days, after a former executive of a parent company was referenced in the Jeffrey Epstein files.
The Cheltenham School District’s superintendent, Brian Scriven, wrote to parents that he was aware of their concerns about the company and said “the district is exploring all options for future student portrait services” in light of the reports.
Lifetouch is owned by Shutterfly, a company that has since been purchased by asset management firm Apollo Global Management, which was co-founded by Leon Black. In December, CBS News reported on documents in the Epstein files showing Black asking the convicted sex offender for help quashing an accusation of sexual impropriety.Â
Black contacted Epstein while he was preparing a nondisclosure agreement that he would ask a former Russian model to sign and keep quiet about an affair that she alleged ended in sexual abuse, allegations Black denies.
Black departed Apollo in 2021 and co-founder Marc Rowan took the reins as CEO. Lifetouch Group CEO Ken Murphy said in a statement that the company does not provide images to any third party, and that there is “a sea of misinformation.”
“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,” the statement said in part. “Lifetouch is not named in the Epstein files. The documents contain no allegations that Lifetouch itself was involved in, or that student photos were used in, any illicit activities.”
Scriven said there is no impact on students’ safety or district operations but that Cheltenham schools would still be “conducting appropriate due diligence consistent with policies.”
Lifetouch is still taking student portraits in the spring, but parents and guardians are able to opt their child or children out of photos by speaking with their building’s principal. Scriven also pointed parents to the deletion requests page on Lifetouch’s website.