The release of documents of the convicted sex offender, Jeffer Epstein, has sparked controversy for a major U.S. school photography company. Per reports, there have been online claims of alleged indirect links between the firm and its individuals in the Epstein files. Given the nature and seriousness of the claims, several school districts have now moved to review or suspend the contract.
Per a report by USC Annenberg Media, the photography company Lifetouch, the nation’s largest provider of school portraits, has denied any connection to Jeffrey Epstein. They have also called the accusations unfounded and misleading.
The report notes that at least 10 school districts across four states have suspended or terminated their agreements with Lifetouch. It all began with social media posts alleging indirect links between the company and Epstein through its corporate ownership. The claims state that Shutterfly, Lifetouch’s parent company, is owned by Leon Black’s (private equity firm) former company, Apollo Global Management. Black’s name appears in the recently released files related to Epstein and its thousands of documents.
Since the news, Lifetouch has denied its direct or indirect involvement with Epstein and his crimes, as well as giving access to student photos by an unauthorised third party. They also said “no Lifetouch executives have ever had any relationship or contact with Epstein,” and they maintain that its operation and student image databases have not been shared with Apollo or other companies.
The controversy also gained traction on social media, with some parents and individuals in communities expressing alarm. They shared posts suggest that the images of the children could be exposed due to mishandling, due to the alleged association, despite the lack of evidence of any data misuse.
Salinis School District, which also has a contract with Liftouch, wrote an open letter stating that these rumors are “unfounded.” Some have taken a precautionary approach, pausing school picture days to review contracts. Unlike them, some schools in Pennsylvania have cancelled the contract with the company.
Educators and experts believe that the ongoing releases of millions of pages of Epstein files have increased public mistrust. One can’t blame the parents, especially since the files contain some truly disturbing details. However, until there is an actual legal verdict on the company calling them guilty, one has to tread the line with balance.