Daily Kos February 15, 2026

Leon Black Named in Epstein Files: Schools Cancel Photo Day

Documents released in the Epstein files investigation.

Key Takeaways

▶ Schools canceled yearbook photo sessions with a photography company after founder Leon Black, also founder of Apollo Global Management, was named in Epstein files.
▶ The cancellations extend Epstein-related institutional scrutiny from universities to K-12 schools and their vendor relationships.
▶ Black joins a growing list of executives facing professional consequences from Epstein document releases.

School districts across the United States have canceled yearbook photo sessions with Lifetouch, the nation’s largest school photography company, after its ownership chain was linked to Leon Black, the billionaire co-founder of Apollo Global Management whose name appeared in recently released Jeffrey Epstein files.¹⁶

At least 10 districts in four states have terminated or paused contracts with Lifetouch, which photographs more than 25 million students annually at over 50,000 schools.⁶

The Ownership Chain

The connection between Lifetouch and Epstein is indirect but traceable through corporate ownership. Lifetouch is a subsidiary of Shutterfly, which Apollo Global Management acquired in a $2.7 billion deal that closed in September 2019 — one month after Epstein died by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell.⁶ Black led Apollo at the time of the acquisition. He met regularly with Epstein and relied on the financier for personal financial advice, according to an independent review Apollo commissioned in 2021.⁶

Black stepped down as Apollo’s CEO in 2021 after that review found he had paid Epstein $158 million in fees for tax and estate planning services. He has not been charged with any crime in connection with the Epstein investigation.⁶

Districts React

In Malakoff, Texas, the local school district canceled a student picture day after parents told administrators they were uncomfortable with Lifetouch photographing their children.⁷ Several other Texas districts followed, along with a charter school in Arizona.⁷

The Mount Pleasant Area School District near Pittsburgh ended its Lifetouch partnership immediately, canceling all spring photo sessions and announcing it would find a new vendor for the 2026-27 school year.⁸ In North Carolina, some Wake County schools began reevaluating the relationship.⁹

Not all districts severed ties. Weber County School District in Utah said it would continue its contract after finding no evidence of wrongdoing and noted that families could opt out of having their children photographed.¹⁰

Lifetouch and Apollo Respond

Lifetouch said on its website that claims of any relationship between the company and Epstein are “completely false.” Apollo issued a statement emphasizing that no past or present board member or investor has ever had access to student images.⁶

The company stressed its compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and said it does not share or sell student images to train artificial intelligence models or facial recognition technology.⁶

Independent fact-checkers have noted that the connection is contextual: no Epstein document alleges Lifetouch was involved in criminal activity or that student photographs were shared with anyone outside the company.⁶

Pattern of Professional Fallout

The school cancellations are the latest example of institutions distancing themselves from anyone connected to Epstein, however indirectly. Goldman Sachs’ top lawyer resigned after being named in documents.² Casey Wasserman sold his talent agency after emails with Ghislaine Maxwell were made public.³ A Dubai ports executive stepped down after hundreds of secret emails were released.⁴

Universities have also faced scrutiny, with DOJ files showing Epstein cultivated contacts at the University of Alabama and multiple college presidents and professors named in earlier document releases.⁵¹¹

The Lifetouch episode illustrates how the Epstein file disclosures have extended institutional scrutiny from boardrooms and universities into K-12 schools and their vendor relationships.